By Bill Short
The Millington Board of Mayor and Aldermen has passed an ordinance on first reading that would establish regulations for mobile food vendors to operate within the city.
Board members took the action during their Dec. 13 regular monthly meeting on a motion offered by Alderman Jon Crisp and seconded by Alderman Larry Dagen.
The motion was passed by five affirmative votes, with Aldermen Bethany Huffman and Don Lowry absent.
The proposed ordinance, which would amend Title 9 of the Municipal Code, is scheduled for a public hearing and final reading at the board’s Jan. 10, 2022 meeting.
Charles Goforth, planning consultant for the city, recalled that he proposed the ordinance during the board’s Nov. 15 Work Session.
He noted that Title 9 does not currently include rules “specifically” related to food vendors in trucks and vans.
Goforth said the amending ordinance would remove the requirement for a business license, but mobile food vendors would have to obtain a permit from the city. It would be valid for no more than three days and for “special events” only.
The ordinance would include schools as public locations where special events could occur.
Citywide and other publicly sponsored festivals and events, such as Goat Days, the Flag City Freedom Celebration, the Mid-South Airshow and other events authorized by the board, would be exempt from the ordinance.
Mobile food vendors would be prohibited from conducting business on private property unless it is a city-permitted special event.
Owners of properties zoned B-2, General Commercial, and P-C, Planned Commercial, churches and other non-profit organizations could request city approval for a special event twice each calendar year.
The event could not last for more than three days, and no more than three mobile food vendors would be permitted.
All requests for mobile food vendor permits on private property, churches and non-profit organizations would have to be accompanied by a request for special-event approval signed by the property owner.
No activities could be conducted within 100 feet of any residential property.
Each applicant for a mobile food vendor permit would have to submit, along with the permit application, written consent by the property owner for the applicant to use the owner’s private property for the purpose stated in the application.
The applicant would also have to submit a $25 non-refundable administrative fee. The permit fee would be $250, which would have to be paid prior to the first day of engaging in business.
Goforth said these were the changes that the planning staff made in the proposed ordinance, based on the board’s “direction” at the Work Session.
“This is our first reading,” he noted. “Obviously, there’s time to make changes on it before we have our public hearing.”
