News

Ohio council member proposes food truck permit, additional regs

November 13, 2018

Ohio's Lakewood City Council is considering a mobile food service ordinance regarding safety, sanitation and liability standards, as well as a new permitting policy, given the area’s growing food truck industry.

Currently food trucks are certified by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health. The proposed ordinance would require inspection by the Lakewood Fire Department and a one-time truck fee of $150, according to a Cleveland.com report. The development of the Lakewood Truck Park is also a reason for the new rules, stated the news report.

Councilwoman Meghan F. George, who proposed the ordinance, calls the requirements "common-sense regulations."

"The purpose isn't for the city to make money, it's to pay for the administration of the fee. With that, we'll make sure the food trucks are certified with the fire department from a fire-safety perspective," she told Cleveland.com. She said that she expects that the fee will be approved by early 2019.

The 6,000-square-foot Lakewood Truck Park will be home to food trucks, outdoor seating and gathering spaces, and has been approved by the planning commission and architectural board of review, according to the report.