Pacific planning commission tables proposed food-truck ordinance pending attorney review

The City of Pacific Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing on a proposed ordinance to define “food trucks” and regulate their operation on private and certain public property; commissioners discussed scope, hours, permit types and enforcement, then voted to table the amendment so staff can obtain legal guidance.

The proposed ordinance 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 establish where and how food trucks may operate in the city. Commissioners and staff debated whether the rules should apply only to food trucks stationary on private property or also to mobile vendors such as ice cream trucks, lunch trucks that circulate through industrial parks, and vendors operating from pickup trucks.

Commissioners noted the draft contains inconsistencies on scope: Section 402.01 (purpose) states the intent is to regulate food trucks operating on private property, while Section 402.03 (scope) says the rules shall apply to food trucks operating on private property and public property owned by the City of Pacific. Staff and commissioners said they will…