Corning food truck, street vendors ordinances move forward

Mar. 19—Corning's new food truck and sidewalk vendors ordinances are one step closer to realization with the March 12 approval by the City Council of the documents' introduction and first reading following a public hearing.

This action is an update of the ordinance currently on the books that addresses mobile vendors and sidewalk vendors under the same rules and regulations.

During the Feb. 27 City Council meeting, City Attorney Collin Bogener explained the state has "heavily regulated sidewalk vending," and the city needed to come into compliance with the state's rules.

In doing so, city staff has prepared two ordinances — one for mobile vendors, and another for sidewalk vendors.

Mobile vendors are commonly known as food trucks and the like, while sidewalk vendor means a person who sells food or merchandise from a pushcart, stand, display, pedal-driven cart, wagon, showcase, rack, or other non-motorized conveyance, or from one's person, upon a public sidewalk or other pedestrian path.

City Manager Brant Mesker said the ordinances are a matter of protecting the health and safety of the community, as well as avoiding blight and undue noise on city streets.

Some of the details on the proposed mobile vendor ordinance, as shared by Bogener, are as follows:

—Mobile trucks must have access to a toilet and handwashing facility for truck staff within 200 feet of the mobile truck site during business hours. Portable toilets are not allowed.

—Hours of operation allowed are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the vehicle must be moved from the site, out of public view, each night.

—No mobile food trucks within 300 feet of each other.

—Must be completely self-sufficient.

—Mobile food trucks can operate only at the site previously approved by the city.

—No portable cooking equipment, gas fueled appliance, wood burning ovens or other open flame unless approved and permitted by the city's fire chief.

—Mobile food trucks are not allowed to park within 500 feet of a brick-and-mortar food/drink service business.

—No parking within 500 feet of a school, farmer's market, special event, place of worship, child care facility, recreation facility or city park without written consent from the property owner.

In addition, the ordinance states the location of operation of a mobile food truck must be a commercial zoned property, not residential or otherwise.

All mobile vendors are required to apply for and have an approved city Conditional Use Permit to be able to operate.

However, the ordinance does not place a cap on the number of mobile food trucks allowed in town.

"The regulations in the ordinance alone will cap the number of mobile food trucks that can be in town," Mesker said.

The proposed sidewalk vending ordinance requires sidewalk vendors to attain a city-issued license and permit to conduct business, and those who sell food will need a food handler course certification. The application process for a license will be $250 annually and the permit is also $250.

Among the proposed requirements is that no more than two stationary carts can be conducting business on a single block within the city's commercial and industrial zoning areas.

Sidewalk vending within 500 feet of an elementary school will not be allowed from the hours of 6 a.m.-6 p.m., nor during city special events, farmer's markets, swap meets or street fairs.

The proposed ordinance also outlines the cost of violating the rules and regulations, the size of carts, where they can and cannot be placed, and more.

A final reading of the ordinances will take place during the March 26 City Council meeting with the regulations going into effect 30 days after that.