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Council Weighs Extending Food-truck Hours and Adding Spacing Requirements
Summary
Staff proposed extending permitted operating hours for licensed food trucks by one hour (to 10 p.m.), increasing per-location allowed hours and adding a 100-foot spacing requirement between trucks and sidewalk vendors; vendors present supported more hours and council asked staff to return with formal ordinance language after outreach.
Paramount staff asked the City Council on Dec. 17 for direction on modest changes to the city's mobile food-vending rules including a one-hour extension to permitted operating windows and a 100-foot spacing rule between trucks and other vendors.
Planning Director John King said current windows are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on public roadways and noon to 9 p.m. on private property, with typical permitted shifts of four hours on the street and five on private property. Staff proposed pushing the closing hour to 10 p.m., and allowing up to five hours at a public road location and six hours on private property. King also proposed a 100-foot minimum separation between food trucks and between food trucks and permitted sidewalk vendors going forward.
"Four hours is very little time," said food-truck operator Teres Anavaro, who asked for additional hours to cover expenses and praised the city for supporting vendors. City enforcement staff reported that permitted trucks were operating within existing permit windows during recent compliance checks.
Council members signaled general support for the one-hour extension while asking staff to return with a formal ordinance and to consult the Chamber of Commerce and affected brick-and-mortar restaurants before bringing a final proposal. Staff also noted an existing 500-foot buffer from licensed restaurants on private property would remain in force and suggested refining the definition of "licensed restaurant" to cover cafes and bakeries.
Why it matters: Extending hours could boost revenue for small vendors while the spacing rule aims to avoid direct competition at specific locations and preserve brick-and-mortar business interests.
Next steps: Staff will notify licensed operators, consult interested business groups and return with ordinance language for council consideration in early 2025.
