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Board tightens food-truck rules, vendor law remains under review
Summary
The Village of Fredonia approved operational limits on food trucks — no setup before 5 a.m., required departure by 10 p.m., and a ban on overnight parking except for multi-day events — while the broader vendor law drafted by the planning board will return for further review.
The Village of Fredonia Board of Trustees on March 17 adopted new limits on food-truck operations and instructed planners to continue work on a separate vendor law. The board approved a resolution that bars food trucks not participating in multi-day events from setting up before 5 a.m., requires them to depart by 10 p.m., and prohibits overnight parking except during multi-day festivals.
The measures, passed by the trustees during the regular meeting, update how the village intends to manage mobile vendors and event-related vendors. The board discussed how the food-truck rules intersect with a draft vendor law prepared by the planning board; trustees said the vendor law will return to the trustees for final decisions about licensing and fee levels.
Trustees and staff said the change is intended to reduce overnight vehicle presence downtown while preserving the ability for food trucks to operate during permitted festivals and multi-day events. Planning and village staff have been asked to update the online application so vendors have consistent instructions; trustees noted some vendors have been using town or private lots without a permit in the past and that permitting and communication to vendors should be clarified.
The planning board has separately been drafting a vendor law that would set licensing structure and fees. Trustees asked two board members to review that draft and return recommendations; the board also said it will set fees by separate resolution so the law itself does not need to be amended each time the fee changes.
The trustees discussed enforcement and noted that even when vendors operate on private property they must comply with licensing requirements. The board also instructed staff to publish updated application materials and to coordinate with code enforcement and police for permit compliance at events.
The food-truck hours and overnight-parking restriction were recorded as approved by the board. Trustees also referenced recent complaints about unpermitted vendors appearing near the fitness club and flagged that organizers and property owners should be reminded of permit requirements.
The vendor-law draft remains under review; trustees asked designated members to provide suggested edits and to bring a final recommendation to the board in the coming weeks.
