The City of Pacific Planning & Zoning Commission voted unanimously to add a reference to the International Fire Code for mobile food operations and sent the amended ordinance to the Board of Aldermen for approval.

The commission approved an amendment to a proposed ordinance that would add a definition of food trucks to Section 400.040 of the City of Pacific Municipal Code and create a new Chapter 402 to regulate food-truck operations on private property. A staff member told the commission that, after consulting with the fire marshal, the recommended change was to “add a line that just basically said fire code and that food trucks must be inspected and in compliance with section 319 of the International Fire Code.”

The fire marshal, the staff member said, preferred a minimal insertion so local code would not conflict with the fire code; Section 319 of the International Fire Code covers requirements for mobile food operators and inspections.

Commissioner Lovett moved to include the line referencing the fire code; Commissioner Kelly seconded the motion. The amendment passed on a 5-0 vote. Later in the meeting the commission voted, again 5-0, to forward the amended ordinance to the Board of Aldermen.

No changes to the ordinance’s other provisions were reported at the meeting. The planning commission’s amendment is a codified requirement to ensure food-truck operators meet the fire-safety inspection standards established in the International Fire Code; the Board of Aldermen will consider the amended ordinance next.

The action was recorded during the commission’s old-business agenda item on the text amendment; commissioners said the fire-code language would be updated by staff before the Board of Aldermen packet is finalized.