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(A) The provisions of this Section shall apply to mobile food operations engaged in the business of cooking, preparing and distributing food or beverage with or without charge from mobile food trucks on or in public, private or restricted spaces. This Section shall not apply to canteen, coffee or ice cream trucks that move from place to place and are stationary in the same location for no more than 30 minutes at a time or food vending push carts and stands.
(B) The provisions of this Section shall not apply to mobile food operations that receives a temporary event permit issued by the Public Works Department.
(CBC 1985 17-10.2; Ord. 2011 c. 5)
(A) There shall be within the city a Mobile Food Trucks Committee consisting of the Public Works Department, the Transportation Department, the Inspectional Services Department, the Police Department, the Fire Department, the Director of Food Initiatives and the Assessing Department for the purpose of reviewing applications for mobile food truck permits and establishing rules and regulations as appropriate.
(B) The Committee may work with an industry-led task force in developing acceptable routes of operation throughout the city and establishing industry standards, such as the use of global positioning system (“GPS”) devices and other matters.
(C) The Committee may work with applicants for mobile food truck permits and renewals to encourage the following:
(1) Sustainable and environmentally friendly practices, including the use of energy-efficient vehicles;
(2) Charitable components to the business of operation;
(3) School nutrition programs or healthy food choices;
(4) Programs for children or the homeless;
(5) Other socially responsible practices and programs;
(6) Routes that provide access to underserved neighborhoods of the city; and
(7) The use of food commissaries within the city.
(CBC 1985 17-10.3; Ord. 2011 c. 5)
(A) No person or business entity, including a religious or charitable organization, shall operate a mobile food truck in any public, private or restricted space without a permit issued by the Committee.
(B) A mobile food truck permit is required for each and every mobile food truck.
(CBC 1985 17-10.4; Ord. 2011 c.5)
(A) Single application. There shall be made available by the Commissioner a single application form to apply for each mobile food truck permit. The application shall provide the following:
(1) A description of necessary inspections and fees; and
(2) A description of areas of the city where the operation of mobile food trucks are limited or prohibited.
(B) Submission of materials. Each application shall indicate on its face, in addition to other requirements as may be determined by the Committee, that the following materials must be submitted by the applicant:
(1) The name of the business and its owner or owners and the mailing address of the business;
(2) A description of the proposed business plan for the mobile food truck operation;
(3) A proposed service route and hours of operation with a detailed schedule of times and locations where the mobile food truck will be stationary and serving food;
(4) Certification that the vehicle has passed all necessary inspections required by the Boston Fire Department and Department of Inspectional Services;
(5) Proof that the mobile food truck will be serviced by a mobile food commissary;
(6) Proof of access to restroom facilities with flushable toilets and access to hand washing facilities for the use of the mobile food truck employees within 500 feet of each location where the mobile food truck will be in operation for more than one hour in any single day; and
(7) A certificate of insurance providing general liability insurance listing the city as additionally insured. A food truck permit shall be issued only for the explicit time period covered by the effective dates of the general liability insurance policy.
(C) Approval process. An application must be submitted to the Commissioner of Public Works, who shall then forward the application to the Departments for review. The application must receive the approval of each of the Departments, based on duly published criteria established by the Committee, prior to its final approval and the issuance of a permit by the Commissioner.
(1) The Committee may work with the applicant or permit holder to modify a service route at any time:
(a) Before the issue of a permit; or
(b) After the issue of a permit, if the grant of a permit or approval of a service route has led to the creation of a nuisance or otherwise endanger the public health, safety or order or by request of the permit holder.
(2) Within 60 days of the submission of a completed application, the Commissioner shall either issue or deny the application for a permit.
(3) If the application is denied in whole or in part, the Commissioner shall state the specific reasons for the denial. Any applicant who has been denied a permit may appeal such denial by submitting a written request for a hearing to the Commissioner within ten days of denial. Such hearing shall be conducted by the Commissioner, or his or her designee, within 30 days of receipt of said appeal. The decision resulting therefrom shall be final and subject only to judicial review under M.G.L. Chapter 30A, Section 14.
(CBC 1985 17-10.5; Ord. 2011 c. 5)
The Committee may, from time to time, set a limit on the number of total permits that may be issued or renewed per year; provided, however, that no more than 10% of total permits or five permits, whichever is greater, may be issued to a single person or business entity or both. Upon receipt of application, the Commissioner, or his or her designee, shall advise the applicant whether or not the limitation has been met.
(CBC 1985 17-10.6; Ord. 2011 c. 5)
(A) Every mobile food truck permit, unless suspended or revoked by the Committee for a violation of any provision of this Section or other rule or regulation promulgated for the implementation of this Section, shall be renewed annually given that a renewal fee is paid within 30 days after its one-year expiration, at which time the permit holder shall forfeit the right to renew and the permit may be made available to another applicant for new permit if the limitation on the number of permits has not been reached.
(B) The renewal of a permit does not also guarantee renewal of the previously approved route. The Committee reserves the right to add, remove and reapportion available locations among mobile food truck operations at renewal.
(CBC 1985 17-10.7; Ord. 2011 c. 5)
(A) General. The Committee members are hereby authorized to promulgate, both jointly and within their respective Departments, additional rules and regulations appropriate for the implementation of this Section, and, if necessary, work with other Agencies and Departments of the city and commonwealth to establish a streamlined process for the permitting of mobile food trucks; provided, however, that such rules and regulations are not inconsistent with the following limitations and restrictions.
(1) No operator of a mobile food truck shall park, stand or move a vehicle and conduct business within areas of the city where the permit holder has not been authorized to operate.
(2) No permit holder shall possess a permit for a mobile food truck that is not in operation for a period of more than 14 days without duly notifying and obtaining approval from the Commissioner.
(3) The issuance of a permit does not grant or entitle the exclusive use of the service route, in whole or in part, to the mobile food truck permit holder, other than the time and place as approved for the term of the permit.
(4) No mobile food truck shall provide or allow any dining area, including, but not limited to, tables, chairs, booths, bar stools, benches and standup counters, unless a proposal for such seating arrangements is submitted with the permit application and approved by Committee.
(5) Consumers shall be provided with single service articles, such as plastic forks and paper plates, and a waste container for their disposal. All mobile food trucks shall offer a waste container for public use that the operator shall empty at his or her own expense.
(6) The permit holder must keep an accurate log indicating that the mobile food truck is serviced at least twice daily by a mobile food commissary for all food, water and supplies and for all cleaning and servicing operations, including the emptying and cleaning of waste containers.
(7) No mobile food truck shall make or cause to be made any unreasonable or excessive noise in violation of Subsection 16-26.1.
(8) A mobile food truck may not operate on public property unless the Commissioner and the Departments have otherwise granted approval on the permit application for its operation at the particular location during specific times.
(9) All mobile food trucks must be equipped with a permanently mounted global positioning system (“GPS”) device that meets rules and regulations established by the Committee or its members.
(10) For mobile food trucks on public property, the city reserves the right to temporarily move a mobile food truck to a nearby location if the approved location needs to be used for emergency purposes, snow removal, construction or other public benefit.
(B) Inspectional services. The Inspectional Services Department shall ensure compliance with the commonwealth’s Sanitary Code 105 CMR 590.
(C) Fire Department. The Boston Fire Department shall promulgate rules and regulations for the inspection of mobile food trucks and to ensure compliance with all applicable federal, commonwealth and local fire safety statutes, regulations ordinances and codes.
(CBC 1985 17-10.8; Ord. 2011 c. 5)
(A) Application fee. The application fee for a permit or a renewal of a permit granted by the Committee for the operation of a mobile food truck shall be $500.
(B) Annual fee. An annual fee shall be required for the issuance or renewal of a mobile food truck permit based on a taxable market valuation of city property by the Assessing Department, including sidewalks, from which mobile food trucks will stand according to a route of operation submitted with an application for a mobile food truck permit. Nothing in this Section shall prohibit the Committee from designating zones throughout the city for the purposes of establishing fees and rates.
(CBC 1985 17-10.9; Ord. 2011 c. 5)
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