They will be allowed in the parking lots of local breweries and distilleries.
Frederick, Md (KM). An ordinance covering food trucks and other mobile food vendors in Frederick was adopted unanimously Thursday night by the Board of Aldermen. The measure would allow mobile food vendors, including food trucks, tents and carts, to operate in the parking lots of local distilleries and breweries as well as the MARC train station on East Street.
Rachel Depo, Assistant City Attorney, said an original draft of the legislation would require these food vendors to get permits from the city. “We eliminated the permit requirement for the mobile food vendors,” she said. “The permit requirements in the proposed ordinance are only the actual primary site user.”
But these food vendors would still need to get permits from the Frederick County Health Department.
This type of legislation follows requests from breweries and distilleries who asked about whether they could have mobile food vendors on their properties. State licensing requirements prohibit them from operating kitchen on their establishments.
Alderman Michael O’Connor called this ordinance a “great opportunity.” “Small scale breweries and distilleries and wineries that made an investment to come to Frederick: they are the reason why this is necessary. If it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t be having this conversation,” he said.
During the discussion, Alderwoman Donna Kuzemchak had asked when city elected officials could start discussing reversions to the city’s vendor and peddler’s ordinance. “The amount of time that has taken, I feel like the whole thing could have been rewritten,” she said. “So when? I want to know.”
“There are priorities that you guys have asked for,” Mayor Randy McClement responded. “Land Management Code, other things that staff has been trying to fix. We’re trying to arrange those priorities. I do that the best that we can with the time that we have.”
Alderwoman Kuzemchak voted for the ordinance, but said the city needs to “pro-active” on this. “It’s a bunch bandages that we put on things,” she said.
“We’re not affecting world peace. But this is very important to businesses involved and who have put a lot of investment and time into it and are taking risks. And they believe this will help their businesses grow,” said Alderman Josh Bokee.
The ordinance takes effect July 1st.
By Kevin McManus