Committee advances ordinance to expand food-truck zones, reduce distance restriction

The St. Louis Board of Aldermen’s Special Committee on Reducing Red Tape voted 5-3 on Jan. 29, 2025, to advance Board Bill 14 — an ordinance sponsored by Alderman Rasheen Aldridge intended to streamline food-truck operations and expand where mobile vendors may operate in the city.

Board Bill 14 would amend Chapter 8 of the St. Louis Revised Code to create citywide vending districts adjacent to commercial and industrial zoning districts, establish a mobile food court along Market Street, and change operational rules for vending in city parks. The committee also accepted two amendments that clarify streets adjacent to zoning districts and give the Parks Department discretion to designate which parks, days and time slots will allow mobile vending.

Alderman Rasheen Aldridge, the bill’s sponsor, described the measure as the product of a year of meetings with stakeholders: “Board Bill 14 has been a long and coming piece of legislation. We started back in April of last year.” He said the bill’s goal is to reduce “red tape” that prevents food-truck operators from finding legal places to vend and to create a common portal and updated vending maps so vendors and the public know where vending is allowed.

Key changes in the adopted committee substitute and amendments include: - Zoning and…