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Lodi adopts Ordinance No. 2048 to revise mobile vending rules; council flags enforcement of illegal carts
Summary
Council waived second reading and adopted Ordinance No. 2048 updating Lodi Municipal Code Title 9, Chapter 9.18 to revise mobile food-vending permits, locations and operations; staff said the ordinance takes effect in 30 days and will be accompanied by a separate internal task force to address illegal vending enforcement.
The Lodi City Council on July 15 waived the second reading and adopted Ordinance No. 2048, which amends Title 9, Chapter 9.18 of the Lodi Municipal Code to update rules governing mobile food vending, including permit requirements and location standards.
Interim community-development staff told the council the ordinance removes a numerical cap on mobile food-truck vendors and tightens location requirements in the downtown core. "We were asked and directed by council to restrict the downtown core and only allow food trucks or mobile vendors that are towed by a vehicle to only be allowed east of Main Street," a staff presenter said, describing the downtown boundaries and the intent to reduce competitive impacts in the core.
During the discussion Councilmember (speaker 6) pressed staff on enforcement of illegal carts and other noncompliant vending, saying, "So we still need to deal with the illegal carts," and urged an update on the internal task force studying enforcement strategies. City Manager and staff clarified that the ordinance change addresses permitted mobile vendors; enforcement of illicit, unpermitted vending uses separate municipal-code provisions and an internal task force will report back to council with recommendations.
The ordinance, presented at second reading, will become effective 30 days after adoption. Council members voted to adopt the ordinance (motion made and seconded on the record); staff did not read an individual roll-call tally in the transcript but recorded the motion as passing.
What changed: the ordinance eliminates the cap on mobile food trucks, adjusts location rules (with specific downtown restrictions), and refines permit and operational language. What remains: the city will pursue separate enforcement strategies for illegal vending and return to council with planned approaches and timelines.
Next steps: staff will form the internal task force to address enforcement of illegal vending and will return to council with options and recommended code changes if needed. The ordinance becomes effective in 30 days unless otherwise specified by the code.
