Albion adopts regulations for mobile food vendors
Photos by Tom Rivers: Mackenzie Horn, owner of MJH Fresh Foods, is shown with his food trailer recently in the parking lot in front of the Main Street Store.
Ed Wolfe and Mckenzie Horn prepare food at MJH Fresh Foods at a parking lot on Main Street in Albion across from Hoag Library. Horn, 22, opened his business, MJH Fresh Foods, last month and sells hamburgers, hot dogs and sandwiches six days a week in Albion.
ALBION – The Albion Village Board has adopted a new local law for regulating mobile food vendors.
The law establishes the following fee schedule to be paid to the village for mobile food trucks and trailers:
- 1 day to 7 days – $100
- 8 days to 6 months – $250
- 6 months to 1 year – $500
The local defines a mobile food trailer and mobile food vehicle as commercially manufactured or fabricated trailer or motorized mobile food unit for the purpose of commercial food preparation and sales. The trailer is self-contained and is towed/transported from site-to- site by a motorized vehicle. The trailer or food vehicle is a unit where ready-to-eat food is cooked, wrapped, packaged, processed or portioned for service, sale or distribution.
People who operate a trailer or vehicle need to first obtain a permit from the village clerk’s office at least two full days before operating in the village.
The mobile food trucks and trailers are not allowed within a 50-foot radius, or a 30-foot radius if on private land, of the nearest edge of any building or section of a building comprising a licensed food establishment, according to the Albion law, which was adopted last month. This requirement may be waived if the application is submitted together with the written consent of the proprietor of the adjacent licensed food establishment.
Some other terms in the local law
• All signage associated with a mobile food vendor must be permanently affixed to the mobile food vehicle. One additional sandwich sign is licensed as long as the additional sign in no way obstructs vehicular or pedestrian traffic.
• All mobile food trailers and mobile food vehicles shall be equipped with trash receptacles of a sufficient capacity that shall be changed as necessary to prevent overflow or the creation of litter of debris.
• It shall be unlawful for any mobile food trailer or mobile food vehicle to operate within 50 feet of the boundary line of any fair, carnival, circus, festival, special event or civic event that is sanctioned or licensed by the Village of Albion.
• All mobile food vendor licenses are null and void during the Albion Strawberry Festival.
• A mobile food vendor shall not conduct activities in such a manner as will interfere with a pedestrian or vehicular use of the public streets and places.
• All mobile food vendors shall not use any sound instrument or shout out for the purpose of attracting attention to his wares or giving notice of his approach.
• A mobile food vendor shall not sell any confectionery or ice cream within 250 feet of any school property between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on any school days.
• Any person who violates any provision of this law shall be subject to a fine not less than $250 or to exceed $500, or to imprisonment for a term not to exceed 15 days or both.
