City council adopts updated fee schedule for direct sellers and mobile food vendors

The City Council on a unanimous vote approved a revised fee schedule for direct sellers and mobile food establishments after staff told the council the changes reflect staff time required to process applications. City staff said the proposed fees are higher than surrounding communities but that the police department reviewed the amounts and “felt it was fair based on the amount of staff time put into those applications that we receive.” The matter returned to council after members requested more information on surrounding jurisdictions and input from local business owners. Staff told the council that restaurant owners contacted for the review “did not have a strong feeling on the price that would be associated with a mobile food establishment,” but they welcomed an ordinance provision that bars food trucks from parking on city streets or in parks and helps prevent trucks from locating directly outside restaurants. During the vote, aldermen recorded “yes” on the roll call and the motion passed. The ordinance amendment splits fee schedules for direct sellers and mobile food establishments and accompanies existing local restrictions on where food trucks may operate. The council did not change placement rules; staff said those remain in effect. The approved fee schedule will be implemented following the usual ordinance-adoption process and any associated administrative steps; no additional public hearing was recorded for this item.