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Council amends mobile food truck rules to cover fresh-produce giveaways to seniors
Summary
The council approved an amendment to the city's mobile food truck ordinance to require inspection of trucks that distribute fresh produce, closing a gap that left such giveaways outside the existing licensing scheme.
The City of Lynn Council on April 22 voted to amend its mobile food truck ordinance to include fresh-produce giveaways, a change intended to ensure Inspectional Services can inspect trucks that bring produce to senior centers and senior housing.
City legal staff told councilors that the existing ordinance did not explicitly require inspection or a license when vendors used a truck solely to give away produce. The amendment adds inspection authority so trucks that deliver free produce to seniors meet the same sanitary and storage standards as commercial food trucks.
Attorney Lamanna explained the change at council's request: the ordinance fills a gap by allowing an annual inspection by Inspectional Services for trucks providing produce giveaways, putting those trucks in parity with licensed vendors who sell prepared foods. Lamanna said some operators had started using trucks to bring produce directly to senior-housing complexes so residents would not have to travel to the commons.
A councilor confirmed that the amendment does not alter the city's farmers' market oversight, which is already inspected by Inspectional Services; the amendment instead covers mobile giveaways that previously had no inspection requirement. The council voted to approve the ordinance amendment; the roll call showed no opposing votes.
The council recorded no new fee schedule in the meeting record; the amendment requires Inspectional Services to inspect trucks offering produce giveaways on the same sanitary basis used for other mobile vendors.
