(a) Purpose. The intent of these regulations is to create an entrepreneurial opportunity for the food industry by providing creative opportunities outside of the traditional brick and mortar restaurants while controlling potential impacts such as traffic, food safety and compatibility with the surrounding areas. The City of Lancaster understands the importance of these startup businesses and the economic benefits they provide by creating additional foot traffic to better support surrounding businesses. These regulations have been crafted to ensure that Food Trucks are properly integrated into the overall existing or future streetscape designs of the surrounding area. It is further the purpose of these regulations to limit the time frame for food trucks to allow ample time for business incubation but also discourage them from becoming permanent fixtures.
(b) Applicability.
(1) These standards apply to all food trucks that are located on private property within any District that allows restaurant uses. Food trucks shall comply with the requirements of this section.
(2) Food trucks located within the public right-of-way shall be governed by a Right-of-Way Permit and are not subject to this Zoning Code.
(c) All Food Trucks when located on private property must comply with the following regulations:
(1) Food trucks shall be lit with existing and available site lighting. No additional exterior lighting shall be permitted. Lighting inside the food truck for the purpose of inside food preparation and menu illumination may be permitted. There shall be no light trespass or additional glare onto adjacent properties. Flashing lights shall be prohibited.
(2) No signs shall be permitted except as follows:
A. Signs directly painted or applied directly onto the food truck shall be permitted.
B. One small temporary sign that does not exceed eight (8) square feet.
(3) The selling of alcohol shall be prohibited.
(4) There shall be one (1) trash receptacle for use by patrons and placed a convenient location that does not impede pedestrian or vehicular traffic. Trash must be removed daily from the site.
(5) The food truck shall be located on an entirely paved, level parking lot to enhance the safety of pedestrians and patrons.
(6) All equipment and storage associated with and required for the operations of the food truck, except for the trash receptacles required in this Section, shall be located on or within the Food Truck. This includes any generators.
(7) There shall be no furniture, umbrellas, or other objects outside of the food truck. Any proposed furniture or umbrellas shall be subject to the outdoor dining standards of the applicable District in addition to these regulations.
(8) The food truck shall have access to water (i.e., water tank, connection to central water line, etc.) and electricity (generator, connection to utility lines, etc.) and such services shall be located in a manner that does not create a safety hazard to employees, patrons, or pedestrians.
(9) When a food truck is proposed to be located within five hundred (500) feet of an existing single family dwelling unit, operations of said food truck are limited to 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily. The operations of food trucks in all other locations shall be limited to 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Sunday - Thursday and 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
(10) There shall not be obstruction or interference with the free flow of pedestrian or vehicular traffic, including but not limited to or from any business, public building, the remainder of the parking area or adjacent public right-of-way.
(11) There shall be no restriction of the visibility area sight distance at any driveway or intersection.
(12) The food truck may only operate in the location approved on the site plan for the Zoning Clearance Permit and may not be moved to any other location on the property or to a different property within the City of Lancaster without first receiving a new Zoning Clearance Permit.
(13) Each food truck shall have a minimum thirty-five (35) by fifteen (15)-foot area. Any food truck that exceeds twenty-seven (27) feet in length shall have a minimum seventy (70) by fifteen (15) feet area. In no case shall the combined area of all food trucks permitted on one lot exceed twenty-five percent of the lot area.
(14) The applicant, if not the owner of the property, shall provide written permission from the property owner to utilize the property for a food truck.
(15) The food truck shall pass a fire safety inspection.
(17) If the food truck complies with all of the above standards, a Food Truck Permit may be issued for up to thirty (30) consecutive days on a property within any sixty (60) consecutive calendar days.
(d) Exemptions. Food Trucks are exempt from obtaining a Food Truck Permit when:
(1) It is parked in one location for a period of less than eight (8) hours; or
(2) It operates exclusively as a subset of a City approved Special Event, within the approved areas and time frames. The City may increase the maximum number of food trucks allowed for one (1) lot for City approved Special Events. (Ord. 15-23. Passed 8-14-23.)