The city of Mesa has changed its Mobile Food Vendor Code so it is more in line with state law, something the mayor hopes will make food trucks more successful in Mesa.
During a Dec. 8 meeting, the Mesa City Council voted unanimously to approve a measure that makes city distance requirements for food trucks from residential properties consistent with state laws and other municipalities in Maricopa County.
“These updates to Mesa’s Food Vendor Code bring our city into alignment with standards across the state,” Mayor John Giles said in a statement. “Food trucks travel across Maricopa County and having consistency helps ease the bureaucratic burden on small businesses.”
The new measure requires food trucks to do business at least 250 feet away from single-family homes. Before, Mesa allowed food vendors to operate as close as 25 feet.
The move was done in hopes of easing concerns by both the food truck community and residents, both of whom have been battling over a food truck park in a residential area in Mesa.
In 2019, Power Food Park started as a place for food trucks and consumers to gather, but residents started complaining about traffic and noise and Mesa’s food vendor laws came under scrutiny.
The new law allows for a lot more exceptions and flexibility in the distance requirements, so the 250-foot separation requirement can be waived under several conditions, including when there is a special event.
“Mobile food businesses are an important community of small businesses in Mesa. We are committed to offering programs that assist these businesses in being successful and are working toward an incubator program that removes barriers to food business ownership,” Giles said.
The new regulations will go into effect on March 1, 2022.
The Mesa City Council will be taking up the rezoning request for the Power Food Park, which is located at 1439 N. Power Road, in January.
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