State College to Allow Food Trucks in Neighborhoods, Parks for Special Events

State College Borough Council on Monday night unanimously approved ordinance updates that ease some restrictions on where food trucks can operate.

The amended ordinance allows “mobile food peddlers” in residential areas and borough parks, with an approved special event permit. Previously, they were permitted only on private property in commercial districts of the borough.

“There has been an increasing interest among our community in the use of mobile food vendors for various events and functions being held by residents and borough organizations,” Borough Manager Tom Fountaine said.

No fee is required for a special event application, though charges may be incurred on a case-by-case basis for borough expenses such as shutting down streets, Assistant to the Borough Manager Douglas Shontz said.

Food trucks can continue operating in the commercial districts without a special event permit.

Regardless of where they operate, food trucks in State College already are required to be licensed by the borough health department as a mobile food retail facility, which has a $250 annual fee.

Food trucks will be able to operate between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m., except in the commercial districts where there are no hour restrictions.

Because a special event application is required outside commercial districts, food trucks won’t be able to set up shop in neighborhoods for extended periods of time. But they will be able to operate at special activities where they were not permitted before, such as neighborhood block parties and functions at churches located outside of the commercial districts.

Fountaine said during a discussion of the ordinance last week that recently requests to have food trucks at a church event, Welch Pool and an estate auction had to be turned down because they were not permitted under the ordinance in effect at the time.

The ordinance will continue to prohibit food trucks from operating in parking spaces or public rights of way, though vendors such as ice cream trucks can be stopped on the street along the curb only if a sale is taking place.

At a meeting in April, State College’s Board of Health unanimously recommended the ordinance amendments to council for approval.

Councilwoman Theresa Lafer said the 10-page ordinance contains many details about food truck requirements, but that they are a necessity anywhere they operate because they are tied to public health.

“I think we did this pretty quickly and I’m pretty happy with the end,” she said. “I am in all sincerity looking forward to meeting all the new vendors in the community and trying each and every one of them over time.”