City of Long Beach - File #: 11-1199

• File #: 11-1199
• Version: 2
• Name: FM - ORD Mobile Food Trucks
• Type: Ordinance
• Status: Adopted
• File created: 11/17/2011
• In control: City Council
• On agenda: 12/13/2011
• Final action: 12/13/2011
• Title: Recommendation to declare ordinance amending the Long Beach Municipal Code by adding Chapter 5.37 relating to Mobile Food Preparation Vehicles, read and adopted as read. (Citywide)
• Sponsors: Financial Management

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
12/13/2011	2	City Council	approve recommendation and adopt	Pass
12/6/2011	1	City Council	declare ordinance read the first time and laid over to the next regular meeting of the City Council for final reading	Pass

TITLE
Recommendation to declare ordinance amending the Long Beach Municipal Code by adding Chapter 5.37 relating to Mobile Food Preparation Vehicles, read and adopted as read. (Citywide)

DISCUSSION
On April 12, 2011, the City Council requested the City Attorney to prepare an Ordinance amending the Long Beach Municipal Code (LBMC) by adding Chapter 5.37 establishing “Mobile Food Preparation Vehicles” requiring businesses, as defined, to obtain permits to operate mobile food vending vehicles in the City of Long Beach (City). The subject Ordinance is attached for the City Council’s consideration and its first reading.

With the addition of Chapter 5.37 of the LBMC, the City will be creating a policy that provides regulation to a new, rapidly growing business category. Over the past several years, Los Angeles County has seen a dramatic rise in the emergence of “gourmet” food trucks, promulgated through social media, websites, or just word of mouth. This growing industry is based on chefs’ offering cuisine not typically found on food trucks and going mobile in the delivery of these foods. In fact, Los Angeles County is the epicenter of this food truck boom. As of 2011, over 120 gourmet trucks have been licensed in Los Angeles County. These food trucks are not replacing the pre-existing catering truck that has historically serviced commercial businesses. In fact, this proposed Ordinance will provide a greater area for these operators to service. Under current LBMC, mobile food preparation vehicles were only allowed to operate in construction sites.

In conjunction with the City Attorney’s Office, City staff focused on providing an Ordinance that clearly defined allowable areas of operations that regulate mobile food preparation vehicles’ activity, while striving to bring this new trend of food delivery service to the City of Long Beach.

In doing so, we incorporated a business-friendly approach that allows food trucks to operate within the City, pursuant...