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STAFF REPORT <br />TO: Mayor Fischer and Members of the City Council <br />FROM: Heidi Heller, City Clerk/HR Manager <br />DATE: April 9, 2025 <br />RE: Update City Code Chapter 805 for Mobile Food and Vending Units <br />ACTION TO BE CONSIDERED <br />Discuss proposed updated City Code Chapter 805 Mobile Food and Vending Units. <br />BACKGROUND <br />Currently City Code Chapter 805, Wagon Vendors, addresses food trucks or any type of mobile vendor, <br />and there is a corresponding $50 license that runs for the period July 1 – June 30 each year. This <br />ordinance was originally requested by Ramsey County in 1961 to prevent mobile confectionary <br />vendors from parking at the county’s new Lake Gervais bathing beach on Edgerton Street, and the <br />language still remains almost exactly the same. There are very few requirements of the license as the <br />code currently reads. <br />Over the last few years, the only wagon vendor license issued was for one year-round food truck that <br />parked at Quality Motor Salse on County Road C, otherwise all other food trucks in the city were only <br />here for a day or two, usually for a private event, and there have not been any problems. The one food <br />truck closed last summer but have since indicated they want to open again soon. <br />Food trucks and mobile vendors have become extremely popular and are operating all over the state. <br />The State of Minnesota and/or counties inspect and license food trucks, so the health and safety aspect <br />of the food truck is being addressed by other agencies. There have not been issues in Little Canada <br />with any type of mobile vendors and staff feels there is no reason to continue requiring a license. <br />Many cities have either stopped or never required licenses for mobile vendors and food trucks and <br />changed their codes to simply state what the city’s requirements are for locations, performance <br />standards and practices prohibited. This is what neighboring cities Arden Hills and Vadnais Heights <br />have done. Staff proposes that the entire City Code Chapter 805 be repealed and replaced with the <br />attached draft of City Code Chapter 805, Mobile Food and Vending Units to follow the same practice. <br />RECOMMENDATION <br />Review the updated City Code Section 805, Mobile Food and Vending Units. <br />Attachments: <br />•Current City Code Chapter 805, Wagon Vendors <br />•Proposed draft City Code Chapter 805, Mobile Food and Vending Units