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Newton adopts food-truck ordinance setting 7 a.m.–10 p.m. operating window
Summary
After input from downtown restaurants and a Planning Commission recommendation, Newton City Council adopted a Food Truck Ordinance that permits operations 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., retains a two-hour on-street parking limit, and directs staff to follow standards similar to other cities.
Newton City Council adopted a new food-truck ordinance on Feb. 16 that sets permitted operating hours from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and preserves a two-hour public on-street parking limit intended to protect downtown customer parking.
Planning Director Randy Williams told the council that staff revised a draft ordinance after outreach to downtown restaurants and the DNDA board and after the Planning Commission recommended changing hours to 7 a.m.–10 p.m. “Food trucks are beginning to have more of a presence in Newton over the last few years,” Williams said, and the code previously did not address food-truck operation.
The ordinance amendment reflects comments that breakfast or late-night hours were not generally included in peer cities’ rules; staff opted for a 7 a.m. start and a 10 p.m. close to balance vendor opportunities with downtown restaurants’ concerns. The two-hour limit on using on-street parking mirrors restrictions for other vehicles and is intended to prevent overuse of customer parking spaces.
Council closed the public hearing and, by unanimous vote, adopted the ordinance after a motion by Council Member Ed Sain and a second from Mayor Pro Tem John Stiver. The ordinance and related supporting documents are on file in the city clerk’s office.
The change takes effect per the city’s ordinance-adoption procedures; staff noted no immediate additional regulatory details were included in the council motion.
