Board approves zoning changes to allow mobile food vendors and food‑truck courts

The Gloucester County Board of Supervisors voted May 5 to amend the county zoning ordinance to allow and regulate mobile food vendors and mobile food vendor courts in designated commercial and limited industrial zoning districts.

Anne Ducey Ortiz, director of planning, zoning and environmental programs, told the board the draft amendment creates two definitions — a mobile food vendor (a food truck) and a mobile food vendor court (a permanent location hosting one or more trucks) — and borrows provisions from ordinances used by neighboring localities.

Under the draft, mobile food vendors would be allowed in RC1, B1, B2, B4 and I1 districts and would generally follow existing public‑health and peddler licensing rules, require property‑owner consent, and operate only during the host business’s hours. The draft sets operational limits including a maximum of 10 days per month and no more than two consecutive days per site, requires trash management to avoid obstructing circulation, and keeps vending at least 15 feet from fire hydrants. Mobile food vendor courts at permanent locations would require a conditional use permit and site‑by‑site review.

Jay Wolson, owner of Smalltown Burger, told the board his family already operates successful locations in neighboring towns and said food trucks can create pedestrian activity and economic benefits for downtowns. Written comments from local business owners and residents were read into the record in support of the change; the planning commission held a public hearing in April, heard no speakers, and voted unanimously to forward the amendment to the board.

Board members discussed locations and parking concerns; several supervisors said the ordinance does not itself approve any specific Main Street location — rather, it allows the county to consider food trucks and courts through the planning and CUP processes. After a motion and second, the board approved the amendment by roll call.

What the ordinance will mean in practice will depend on future CUP applications and site‑specific review; the amendment sets the framework to allow food trucks while preserving review tools for locations where parking, traffic or compatibility concerns arise.