(A) Definitions. The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this division, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
FOOD TRUCK. A self-contained food service operation, located in a readily movable, motorized wheeled or towed vehicle, used to store, prepare, display or serve food intended for individual portion service. It shall include food carts which are non-motorized vehicles, pushcarts or stands for the sale of food and beverage. Mobile food trucks or food carts selling only ice cream shall not be considered food trucks for the purposes of this section.
(B) License required. No person or business shall operate a food truck without a license issued by the city. Application for a food truck license shall be made on a standard form provided by the City Clerk's office. Licenses shall be valid from May 1 through April 30 of the following year. The annual fee for such a license shall be $250. No license shall be issued to a food truck operator who has not received a food sanitation license from the Knox County Health Department. Licenses shall not be required for food trucks which are vendors at any special event approved by the city or to any person selling vegetables, fruit or perishable farm products at an established city market. Licenses shall also not be required for trucks selling only ice cream or ice cream related products.
(C) Food trucks allowed in designated areas. Food trucks shall be allowed to operate on public property in areas designated as food truck zones by the City Manager. Certain food truck zones may be restricted to limited hours of operation. Licensed food trucks may operate on private property subject to the licensing and operational requirements of this chapter.
(D) Requirements for food trucks. All food trucks operating within the city must comply with the following:
(1) No food truck shall operate between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. Monday through Friday. No food truck shall operate between the hours of 2:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
(2) No service area for the operation of the food truck shall block obstruct, or interfere with vehicular, bicycle or pedestrian flow.
(3) No food truck operator shall place tents, tables, chairs or other similar items on sidewalks, roadway or public property adjacent to a food truck. However, a food truck operator may place one table adjacent to their truck solely to be used for food service. For trucks parked on the street, all food service shall be directed towards the sidewalk.
(4) No food truck shall use or maintain any sound amplifying equipment or noisemaking apparatus that exceeds 75 decibels measured from ten feet away.
(5) Food trucks shall provide a trash receptacle sufficient to collect trash generated by their operation. They shall collect and remove trash within 50 feet of the truck, prior to leaving a location.
(6) Food trucks may not park within 500 feet of any special event without written consent or permission to participate in the event from the event operator.
(7) Food trucks must comply with NFPA 96.
(8) Food trucks must comply with all other local, state and federal laws.
(Ord. 18-3565, passed 4-2-2018)