The Rancho Cordova Planning Commission voted to recommend that the City Council adopt an ordinance amending Title 23 (zoning) to update specific-use provisions for mobile vendors, including food trucks, and asked staff to incorporate limited language addressing public-right-of-way use adjacent to parks.

The recommendation stems from a consent public hearing on item 6.1, described by staff as a code amendment exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under CEQA section 15061(b)(3). The commission approved the recommendation with commissioners voting in favor and one commissioner absent.

Staff said the proposed amendments reflect previous workshop materials and that there was no new presentation at the meeting. The commission discussed two operational details during the public hearing: whether the code should specify use of 50-amp electrical plugs for food trucks, and whether the city should explicitly allow trucks to serve from the public right of way adjacent to parks. Staff told the commission that coordination with the Building and Safety Division about electrical requirements is an ongoing conversation and that plug specifications would not be included in the current zoning amendment but could be addressed later through building requirements.

The commission noted receipt of a written comment from Canoe Yang of the Rancho Cordova Recreation and Park District (CRPD). The parks district asked that mobile vendors be allowed to serve from the street where necessary for large events (for example, Village Green Park) and suggested language for public-right-of-way use adjacent to parks and trailheads. Staff said some trailheads may present safety or parking concerns and that language could be limited to public parking areas adjacent to parks while avoiding fire lanes and other restricted areas.

Commissioners also asked staff to look at the application fee and potential reciprocity with neighboring jurisdictions for vendor certifications; staff said they had compiled a short comparison in the staff report and would continue discussions with finance and licensing. On enforcement, Britney Myerskall, co-enforcement supervisor, said code enforcement typically responds to complaints — for example, parking issues or vehicles blocking fire lanes — rather than conducting routine proactive checks.

The motion approved by the commission recommended forwarding the ordinance to City Council with the added recommendation that staff incorporate CRPD’s public-right-of-way language for parks (limited to parking areas and subject to public safety constraints). The motion was seconded and passed with the following recorded votes: Commissioner Deborah Polley — yes; Commissioner Hune — yes; Vice Chair Nifton — yes; Commissioner Raymond — yes; Commissioner Stevenson — yes; Chair (name not specified in transcript) — yes. Commissioner Staus was absent.

Staff will add the CRPD-recommended right-of-way language for parks into the draft ordinance when preparing the item for City Council consideration and continue coordinating with Building and Safety, Finance, Licensing and CRPD on related operational and fee questions.

The item will next appear at the City Council for final action; the commission’s recommendation is advisory.