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Mobile Sales and Mobile Food Service Operations Requirements and Guidelines

Mobile Food Service Operation – The preparation/cooking, serving and/or sale of food conducted from a portable stand, vehicle or trailer. Examples are food trucks and hotdog stands/carts.
Mobile Sales Operation – Sales from a portable stand, vehicle or trailer. Examples are flower and produce stands/carts.

The collective term for these operations is Mobile Operations.

Requirements

Each operator of a mobile operation shall obtain a Certificate of Use (CU), renewable on an annual basis. The application package shall include at a minimum the following information:

  • Narrative from the applicant describing the operation and its hours of operations.
  • For mobile food service operators, a copy of the required State license for food service establishments
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Mobile Sales Operations

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Property owners responsibility

Mobile operations are permissible only in the following zoning districts:
BU, IU, urban center, urban area, and GU (where trended for industrial or business use).

Traveling mobile operations are also permissible in residential zoning districts on properties having a current certificate of use and occupancy as a museum, hospital, school or church.

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Site Restrictions

Shall not be located:

  • On the public right-of-way.
  • In any driveway aisles, no parking zones, loading areas, or parking lanes, nor may mobile operations impede the on-site circulation of motor vehicles.

Shall be located:

  • On improved property.
  • On vacant, unimproved property only when approved as a special event pursuant to Section 33-13(h) of this Code.
  • A minimum of 20 feet from the property line of an existing residential use or 10 feet from the property line if the residential use is separated by a six-foot high masonry wall.
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Hours of Operation

7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays.
7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekends

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Sale of Alcoholic Beverages

The sale or serving of alcoholic beverages is prohibited.

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Music or Sound

The use of any sound amplification is prohibited regardless of the intended purpose.

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Signs

  • Point-of-Sale (Class B) type signs are permitted to be affixed to the mobile operation (truck, stand, trailer). This includes menus.
  • No permit required for signage relating to mobile operations.
  • No balloons, banners, streamers or other similar devices to attract customers are permitted.
  • No signs or attracting devices are permitted on the right-of-way.
  • Menu Boards - An A-frame menu board up to 9 square feet is permitted to be placed by the mobile operation and within the vending area. An operation is allowed to display this sign only during hours of operations, otherwise the board shall be removed.
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Electric Service Connections

Electric service connection to an on-site approved outlet is permitted provided that no wiring or cables are run beyond the vending area or pose any danger to the patrons. The vending area includes the space taken up by: a portable stand, vehicle, or trailer; signs; equipment; products; and any tents, tarpaulins, canopies or awnings.

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Property owners responsibility for mobile sales operations

In addition to the Certificate of Use (CU) obtained by the mobile operation, the property owner must also obtain a CU or amend a current CU to allow for traveling mobile operations. The number of days mobile operations may locate on a given site shall be limited to six days within a 30-day time period.

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Site Restrictions for mobile sales operations

The number of traveling mobile operations permissible on a site at any one time shall be limited as follows:

  • One traveling mobile operation may be permitted on each site which contains a minimum of 10,000 square feet of net lot area.
  • An additional traveling mobile operation may be permitted for each additional 50,000 square feet of net lot area, up to a maximum of three mobile operations per site.
  • Mobile operations in excess of these thresholds may only be permitted as a special event pursuant to Section 33-14.1(e) of this Code.
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Operators' responsibility for mobile sales operations

The operator of a mobile sales operation must be able to produce for inspection: a copy of a letter or other written communication from the property owner or representative that authorizes the mobile operation and, for mobile food service operators, a copy of the applicant's required State license for food service establishments.

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Page Last Edited: Tue May 14, 2024 7:57:26 AM
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