Commission tasks staff to draft food‑truck park code amendment after developer request

An applicant asked Morgan County to add a new permitted use for stationary food‑truck parks, and the commission voted to ask staff to prepare a code text amendment.

Applicant Jake Allen told the commission that current county code includes kitchen‑based uses (caterers, coffee shops and restaurants) but does not explicitly authorize a dedicated, stationary food‑truck court. He proposed a permanent, pad‑style food‑truck park near Lee’s Market that would host multiple vendors long term rather than transient trucks that come and go. He said operators he contacted would be open to a permanent arrangement and that the site owner (parcel referenced) is interested in hosting the use.

Action and staff direction Commissioners voted to task county planning staff to prepare a zoning text amendment adding “food‑truck courts” to the use table and to develop basic permitting and design standards (parking, landscaping, health‑department compliance, potable water and trash handling). The motion passed on a voice vote from the dais.

Regulatory and health issues commissioners raised Commissioners and staff reminded the applicant that state health rules require food‑service trucks to be tied to a commissary (a certified commercial kitchen for waste, food storage and potable water controls) and that the county’s health officer will need to approve vendor operations. Staff and a commissioner also urged that any county text amendment leave sufficient flexibility for a development agreement or site plan process to provide power hookups, shared grease and trash facilities and vehicle circulation so vendors would not run generators.

Next steps Planning staff will prepare a draft text amendment for commissioners’ review. Commissioners and staff said they would also consider county‑owned pads (fairgrounds or other county property) as alternatives or complements to private food‑truck courts.