HAMPTON—Hampton City Council heard a presentation about updating food truck ordinances and codes on Wednesday, May 24 during its legislative session with the intent to make permitting easier for food truck owners, to establish new zones for food truck operation, and to simplify how the city and governing agencies can track food trucks.
A total of ten agenda items were on the docket for City Council members to vote on following a brief presentation by Allison Jackura, Hampton’s Zoning Administrator, who reviewed what was presented to City Council in September 2022, and what has been done since that time to recommend updates.
In brief, Zoning Ordinance amendments to Chapters 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, and 9 were recommended to create a new use for “Food Truck Host Sites,” and define where and how food trucks may operate within all zoning districts. City Code amendments to Chapters 2, 15, and 24 clarified how food trucks and food truck operators are permitted.
The proposed framework focused on streamlining the process to provide “live” updating on food truck locations, avoiding long permitting delays, avoiding unnecessary costs and barriers, maintaining safe conditions for citizens and businesses, and ensuring enforcement capabilities.
The framework addressed four main processes, including how food trucks are allowed within Hampton (City Code); how properties are allowed to host food trucks (Zoning Ordinance); rapid notification for approved food trucks to pick approved sites (City Code); and enforcement methods (City Code and Zoning Ordinance).
The first item up for vote was an ordinance to amend and re-enact the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Hampton by amending Chapter 1 “General Provisions” to add new regulations applicable to many or all Zoning Districts regarding limitations on the parking and storing of food trucks.
The second item was an ordinance to amend and re-enact the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Hampton by amending Chapter 2, Section 2-2 “Definitions” to add a definition of food trucks and other related definitions.
The third item was an ordinance to amend and re-enact the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Hampton by amending , Chapter 3, Section 3-2 “Table of Uses Permitted” and Section 3-3 “Additional Standards on Uses” to update additional standards related to home occupations to allow food truck parking and to add “Food Truck Host Sites” as permitted within a zoning administrator permit within the Residential, Manufacturing, Langley Flight Approach, Buckroe Bayfront, Hampton Roads Center, Langley Business Park, Downtown, Phoebus, Fort Monroe, and Parks Zoning Districts with additional standards.
The fourth item was an ordinance to amend and re-enact the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Hampton by amending Chapter 6, Article 1 “C-1 District—Neighborhood Commercial” to permit the use of a “Food Truck Host Site.”
The fifth item was an ordinance to amend and re-enact the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Hampton by amending Chapter 7, Article 1 “M-1 District—Limited Manufacturing” to permit the use of a “Food Truck Host Site.”
The sixth item was an ordinance to amend and re-enact the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Hampton by amending Chapter 8 “Special Districts” to permit the use of a “Food Truck Host Site” within the Langley Flight Approach, Hampton Roads Center, Downtown, and Langley Business Park districts.
The seventh item was an ordinance to amend and re-enact the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Hampton by amending Chapter 9, Article III, Section 9-23 “O-CC District—Coliseum Central Overlay” to permit the use of a “Food Truck Host Site” within the Coliseum Central Overlay District.
The eight item was an ordinance to amend Chapter 34 of the City Code of the City of Hampton “Streets and Sidewalks” by amending Article 1, Section 34-7 regarding food truck sales conducted on or adjacent to public rights-of-ways.
The ninth item was an ordinance to amend Chapter 15 of the City Code of the City of Hampton “Food and Food Establishments” by adding a new Article VI pertaining to regulation of mobile food service facilities.
The final item was an ordinance to amend Article XIII, Chapter 2 of the City Code of the City of Hampton “Special Events” pertaining to food trucks at neighborhood-scale special events.
City Council unanimously approved all ten items individually.
It is worth noting that the process for applying for special event permits is completely separate from the items above. However, streamlining the overall approval process will help food truck vendors applying for special event permits to speed up the process and lower permitting costs. Any inspections and licenses needed by the Virginia Health Department are not under the control of the City of Hampton.