East Palo Alto Municipal Code Art. V Mobile Food Vendors

Every mobile food vendor shall cause to be painted upon each vehicle his name and address. Such information shall be inscribed in block letters at least three inches high and two inches wide.

(Prior code § 6-1.501)

Mobile food vendors shall not sell or serve any food or food product unless it meets the following requirements:

A. No prepared food or food product shall be sold or served unless it has been prepared in food establishments which may lawfully prepare or compound such foods and which comply with state health laws and regulations and this code.

B. No packaged food or food product shall be sold or served unless it has been packaged or wrapped in a food establishment which may lawfully package or wrap such foods or food products and which complies with state health laws and regulations and this code.

C. No food shall be prepared except in mobile food preparation units and in accordance with state health laws and regulations therefor and with this code, unless specific written consent for such preparation has been obtained from the city health officer.

(Prior code § 6-1.502)

The city health officer may restrict to certain types the food and food products which a mobile food vendor may sell or serve where the city health officer determines that the facilities of the mobile food vendor's vehicle are inadequate to sell or serve safely other foods or food products.

(Prior code § 6-1.503)

Every mobile food vendor shall maintain his vehicles and store his supplies in a clean, healthful, sanitary manner.

(Prior code § 6-1.504)

Every food vendor, employee thereof, or operator of a mobile food vending vehicle shall, when serving or handling food or food products, dress in clean outer garments and keep his person clean.

(Prior code § 6-1.505)

All food and food products offered and all utensils used by a mobile food vendor shall be protected from dirt, vermin, and other unsanitary influences. Single service containers shall be used for all food and food products, unless some other manner of service has been authorized by the city health officer. Mobile food vendors shall not display any food or food product except in or on the mobile food vending vehicle.

(Prior code § 6-1.506)

In addition to those requirements for mobile food vending vehicles, industrial catering vehicles shall also meet the following requirements:

A. The interiors of all compartments used for food or food products shall be constructed in such a manner as both to be easily washable and to withstand repeated washing.

B. All food and food product storage and display compartments shall have tightly fitted doors free from cracks which might admit or harbor vermin. Such compartments shall protect food and food products from external contamination.

(Prior code § 6-1.507)

In addition to the requirements for mobile food vending vehicles and those in Section 8.12.330 for industrial catering vehicles, bakery product vehicles shall also meet the requirements that no fruit, vegetable, meat, fish, or other food shall be transported in any bakery product vehicle unless such food is isolated in a compartment especially constructed therefor from all bakery products.

(Prior code § 6-1.508)

No mobile food vendor shall permit his vehicle either to remain in any one location for the purpose of sale or display of food or food products for more than thirty (30) minutes during any four-hour period, or to return to the same location within any four-hour period. Any mobile food vending vehicle which fails to move at least five hundred (500) feet from its prior location within any four-hour period shall be deemed in a fixed position. Mobile food vending vehicles in a fixed position shall comply with state health laws and regulations and the provisions of this code concerning restaurants.

(Prior code § 6-1.509)

While any mobile food vending vehicle is in any location, the mobile food vendor shall have the duty to keep such location in a neat and orderly condition. He shall pick up and dispose of in a sanitary manner all paper, litter, garbage, and other refuse resulting from his presence and activities.

(Prior code § 6-1.510)

No mobile food vendor shall operate longer than thirty (30) minutes in a single location unless adequate toilet facilities exist conveniently nearby; provided that the city health officer may authorize operation in individual cases for such longer periods as he deems advisable.

(Prior code § 6-1.511)