Willows council narrowly approves temporary moratorium on new mobile food‑truck applications

The Willows City Council voted 3–2 to introduce a temporary moratorium on new applications for mobile food trucks and directed staff to schedule a second reading and adoption.

Supporters, led by Council member Bridal, said the pause is intended to give the city time to update municipal code Chapter 18 to define mobile food vendors, resolve zoning inconsistencies and align the code with the city’s recently revised general plan. “I don’t want anyone else to have to go through that,” Bridal said, referring to a recent five‑month permitting process for a mobile vendor downtown.

Opponents said the moratorium sends the wrong message to prospective businesses. “I’m absolutely opposed to moratorium on anything,” Council member Hanson said, calling the measure “anti business.” Hanson and Vice Mayor Thomas voted no; Council members Pride, Busby and Mayor Hudson voted in favor. The council’s action was an introduction of the ordinance by title only, with an amendment directing staff to schedule a second reading and adoption. The motion passed 3 to 2 on a roll‑call vote.

City staff said the moratorium, as drafted, would last up to one year or until adoption of an updated municipal code, whichever occurs first. Joe Bettencourt, the community development services director, told the council that current code references to transient and mobile uses are inconsistent and that the only explicit reference to “mobile” appeared in the central commercial district section. He said there had been at least one informal inquiry at the counter and that the moratorium would not affect the three existing food‑truck operations that own their lots.

Members discussed alternatives, including adopting a quick interim definition or resolution to address immediate uncertainty while the comprehensive code rewrite proceeds. Bettencourt said consultants estimated a full municipal code update would take about a year and cost roughly $60,000 after a planned July joint meeting with the planning commission; staff said the work would be contracted as a separate task order.

Public commenters urged the council to move quickly and to avoid anti‑growth signals. One resident said the moratorium felt “antigrowth” and argued the code update could be done in two to three months if prioritized.

The council’s action introduces the ordinance and schedules the process to return for final adoption; the moratorium, if adopted at the second reading, would pause acceptance of new mobile food‑truck applications only and would not change approvals already issued. The council and staff said existing permitted mobile vendors would be treated as preexisting or nonconforming uses under the updated code.