Chapter 18.61 — MOBILE FOOD FACILITIES ON PRIVATE PROPERTY

§ 18.61.010. Purpose and application. ¶

A. The purpose of this chapter is to regulate mobile food facilities on private property located throughout the unincorporated area of the county in order to protect public health, safety, and welfare, while accommodating commercial uses that generally promote an active and social pedestrian environment within appropriate areas of Inyo County.
B. The provisions of this ordinance apply to mobile food facilities that operate on any single premises for any duration of time.
(Ord. 1308, 8/20/2024)

§ 18.61.020. Definitions. ¶

"Land owner" shall mean the holder of fee title to real property, whether a person, partnership, corporation or other entity recognized by law, and his/her/its lessees, permittees, assignees or successors in interest.

"Mobile food facility" means a vehicle used in conjunction with a commissary or other permanent food facility upon which food is sold or distributed at retail. "Mobile food facility" does not include a "transporter" used to transport packaged food from a food facility or other approved source to the consumer as defined by Health and Safety Code Section 113932 .

"Permitted mobile food facility site" shall mean the real property on which the mobile food facility is permitted to operate pursuant to this chapter and Title 7 of the Inyo County Code. (Ord. 1308, 8/20/2024)

§ 18.61.030. General requirements. ¶

Mobile food facilities, may operate on private properties, pursuant to the following standards and conditions:

A. The mobile food facility shall obtain all required permits, including, but not limited to, those required by Inyo County Environmental Health and shall, in the process of obtaining those permits, submit to Inyo County Environmental Health, the written permission of the land owner and lessee (if applicable) to operate a mobile food facility on the permitted mobile food facility site.
B. The permitted mobile food facility site shall be in the central business (CB), highway service and tourist commercial (C2), or commercial recreation (C5) zones.
C. A minimum of two off-street parking spaces shall be provided for each mobile food facility. These spaces cannot be marked as reserved for or dedicated to other businesses.
D. If the property on which the mobile food facility is stationed is adjacent to a residential zone, the mobile food facility and any associated outdoor seating shall be 10-feet from the property boundary.
E. Outdoor seating areas may be provided to serve patrons of the mobile food facility. All seating areas shall be removed prior to the close of business each day. The seating shall be located in an area of the site that is not landscaped, reserved, or designated to satisfy the off-street parking of other businesses and shall not obstruct any pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
F. Outdoor furniture of any kind shall remain in safe working order so as to provide safety to the general public and stored appropriately during non-operational hours.
G. At no time shall the configuration of the mobile food facility be located to encourage or place patrons/pedestrians within access aisles, emergency accesses and/or ingress/egress locations.
H. Mobile food facilities shall not operate between the hours of 10:00 pm and 6:00 am.
I. Mobile food facilities shall provide and manage separate refuse and recycling containers on site during all hours of operation, including for the proper handling of fats, oils, and grease. All refuse and recycling shall be collected and removed prior to closure of the mobile food facility operations daily.
J. All waste discharges are to be done at the designated commissary/food preparation site and not off site.
K. No overnight parking of mobile food facilities shall be allowed on or around the permitted mobile food facility site.
L. All lighting shall conform to Inyo County Code Chapter 18.74 - Outdoor Lighting.
M. All signage shall conform to Inyo County Code Chapter 18.75 - Signs.
N. Each mobile food facility shall obtain all required state and county licenses and permits including, but not limited to, environmental health certifications or encroachment permits where required. All necessary permits and certifications shall be conspicuously posted on the mobile food facility.
O. Mobile food facilities shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations including but not limited to the California Health and Safety Code , California Retail Food Code and Title 7 of the Inyo County Code.
(Ord. 1308, 8/20/2024)

§ 18.61.040. Violations and penalties. ¶

A. It shall be unlawful to install or operate any mobile food facility on private property in violation of this chapter. Any person violating any provisions of this chapter may be subject to the provisions of the Inyo County Code Title 22 . In addition, mobile food facilities operated or maintained in violation of the provisions of this chapter, or any other applicable federal, state or local law or regulation, may be declared to be a public nuisance subject to the procedures set forth in Inyo County Code Title 22 . Such remedies are in addition to and may be sought or imposed concurrently with any other remedy provided by law, regulation or ordinance.
(Ord. 1308, 8/20/2024)