Thursday night, the Lubbock City Council by a 6-0 vote (Councilman Jim Gerlt absent) approved the first reading of an ordinance which will allow the operation of mobile food vendors (a.k.a. food trucks) in the City of Lubbock. The second, and final, reading of the ordinance is expected to be approved without debate at the next council meeting.

Texas Tech University earlier this year debuted their own food truck called StrEat.

District 5 Councilwoman Karen Gibson praised the work of District 1 Councilman Victor Hernandez and District 3 Councilman Jeff Griffith in helping to formulate the ordinance, "I want to thank councilmen Hernandez and Griffith for bringing this up and doing all the legwork on it," she said. "It would be remiss not to mention that the food vendors and the restaurant association have come together on this and everybody is on-board and I think that's awesome. I am really excited about this and I am anxious to see what these food trucks do."

Highlights of the approved ordinance:

  • Application fee of $250.00 for an annual permit
  • Annual inspections required through the Fire and Environmental Health departments. Mobile Food Vendors will have to have written permission on hand at all times from the property owner in order to conduct business on a premise.
  • Zoning locations allowed: C-3, C-4, IHC, IHI, M-1, M-2, CB1, CB2, CB3, CB4, CB5, and CB6. According to information from city staff, mobile food sales will not be allowed near R-1 and R-2 districts due to the intensity and hours of Mobile Food Vending Units.
  • Distance from established brick and mortar restaurants will be 200 feet from the mobile food unit to front door and 200 feet separation from any residential and apartment districts.
  • Mobile food vehicles/trailers (food trucks) must be in storage off-site when not in use.
  • Mobile Food Vendors shall provide proper separation from property lines so not to interfere with public access (Right of Way), shall not block fire lanes, and shall provide trash receptacles.
  • Hours of operation for Mobile Food Vendors will be 6am – 3am, and the units must not be at a location longer than 4 hours.

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