Council removes 250-foot spacing rule for mobile food vendors and updates fees

Jacksonville City Council on March 17 approved a text amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) that removes a 250-foot spacing requirement for mobile food vendors, clarifies hours of operation, and eliminates certain vendor-specific signage rules.

Planning staff presenter Ryan King told the council the change would allow vendors in specified zoning districts to operate without the current spacing limit while retaining most of the other standards that regulate location and safety. King said the amendment would limit mobile vendors to industrial and 'quarter commercial' zones (as described in the staff report) and that special events such as festivals are covered by separate provisions and would not be affected.

King said the Planning Advisory Board recommended approval by a 3–2 vote. Staff also requested an FY26 fee-schedule amendment tied to the UDO change. When asked about hours of operation, staff said vendors would be allowed during the hours a host business is open, with an additional restriction in Attachment A (noted in the staff report) that effectively limits operation to about 6 a.m. to 2 a.m.

A council member moved and the council approved the text amendment and associated fee-schedule change by voice vote. Staff said most other standards (including landowner permission and site-safety requirements) remain in effect; the amendment removes two spacing/sign rules while leaving 16 other standards to govern vendors' use of private property.

Council members asked whether the change was a pilot or a permanent amendment; staff explained elements of the earlier program were originally introduced as a pilot and the current item is a formal text amendment to the UDO.

The amendment was adopted by voice vote. Staff directed that accompanying fee schedule adjustments be adopted consistent with the UDO change.