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Argyle council narrows mobile-food rules, approves temporary permits
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Summary
After public comment, Argyle council approved ordinance 2026-15 to prohibit fixed "mobile food vendor courts" while allowing temporary mobile food vendors under a permit limited to a maximum of two days in any 30-day period and exempting school and youth-sporting events.
The Argyle Town Council on April 2 approved ordinance 2026-15, creating regulations for non-fixed food establishments. Mayor Ronald Schmidt Maioff said the ordinance follows a lengthy Planning & Zoning review and aims to balance local oversight with state health permitting.
Harrison, the town manager, told the council that Planning & Zoning recommended prohibiting mobile food vendor courts — permanent, improved sites that function like food-truck parks — while permitting temporary vendors. "The section would just read, ‘It shall be unlawful for a person or business to operate an MFB court in the Argyle town limits,’" Harrison said, describing the P&Z position to ban permanent courts and keep local oversight for temporary operations.
During public comment, resident Jennifer Fokie said the originally proposed limit — two days in a 60-day period — would be too restrictive for local businesses and events. "If they could come and do 2 days every month, that would at least have some enticement for the area," Fokie said, urging a more frequent allowance to support activity around local events and attractions.
Council members debated frequency, special-event exemptions and how the state health certificate expected later this year would change local permitting. Councilmember (mover) proposed amending the draft to allow a maximum of two days in a 30-day period and to add an exemption for public and private school events or town property youth sporting events; the mayor seconded the motion. The council voted to adopt the ordinance with the amendment; the clerk recorded the motion as carrying 4–0.
The amended ordinance preserves an exemption for operations during permitted special events (for example, the farmers market) and leaves fee-setting and administrative details to staff to include in an updated fee schedule. Council members said the rule can be revisited if the town later sees unintended consequences from the new limits.
The ordinance will be added to the Town Development Standards as section 14.3.80; staff will publish the final wording and update the fee schedule before implementing the temporary-certificate process.
