Elkton council advances food‑truck ordinance revisions; asks staff for redline and Planning Commission review

The Elkton Town Council advanced a first reading of an amended ordinance to add §110—Food Trucks and Mobile Food Vendors to the town’s Land Development Code and directed staff to provide redline and clean versions prior to the next meeting.

Vice‑Mayor Rick Workman led the discussion and moved on the first reading; Council Member Louis Heidel seconded. Council discussion focused on definitions, adding additional business districts where food trucks could operate, revising floodplain language to limit food‑truck presence to 10 days, and eliminating conflicting references in the code.

Specific edits reviewed during the meeting include deleting seating and restroom provisions (not required by the Health Department for mobile units), revising terminology to “residential zoned properties,” establishing operating hours for standalone food trucks from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., amending sign rules and permitted uses in B‑1, B‑2, B‑3, C‑1, M‑1 and I‑1 zones, and allowing event hosts to obtain special‑event food‑truck permits. The council also directed that written notice be posted before removal of unapproved signage.

The council directed that a redline and clean version of the ordinance and collateral code sections be provided to members before the next meeting and sent related sections to the Planning Commission for review, including potential green‑space, phasing and other additions. No final ordinance adoption occurred on Dec. 1; the item remains pending further staff and commission review.