Cathedral City proposes 18‑month food‑truck pilot allowing limited private‑property operation with conditions

Cathedral City staff proposed a pilot program to allow mobile food facilities to operate on private property under a temporary, 18‑month uncodified ordinance with conditions intended to protect public safety, neighborhood compatibility and brick‑and‑mortar businesses.

Justin, the city’s code enforcement manager, presented staff’s recommended pilot program. The pilot would permit up to 10 private‑property food‑truck permits during an 18‑month window; each permit would be valid for 12 months. Staff proposed operating hours of 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. (exceptions possible by special use permit), a prohibition on parking on unimproved dirt lots, a requirement that trucks have written permission from the property owner, and a requirement that the operator hold a valid Riverside County Department of Environmental Health permit and a…