City residents can now get more great eats in the streets; Food Truck vendors have more locations to dish up their faire

City residents can now get more great eats in the streets; Food Truck vendors have more locations to dish up their faire

• Detroit has expanded the area where Food Truck vendors can serve residents
• New ordinance gives food vendors opportunities to expand their business revenue
• City guidelines include four Central Business District zones and 14 restricted commercial corridors

Detroit – Under a new ordinance, the City of Detroit has outlined rules and guidelines for Food Truck vendors who want the opportunity to expand their business. Building Safety, Engineering and Environmental (BSEED) has also streamlined the permitting and licensing process for aspiring Food Truck entrepreneurs with rules, guidelines, and contact information located at www.detroitmi.gov/foodtruck. Additionally, the new ordinance creates 14 restricted commercial zones where food truck vendors are prohibited.

“It’s exciting to offer our small business vendors this opportunity for success,” said BSEED Director Dave Bell. “However, it’s an interdepartmental effort to ensure we all have success at the end of the day, said Bell.”

The Torrence family owns and operates three food trucks in the City. Catherine Torrence, owner and operator of Lemonade and Beyond, LLC says it’s perfect for her family to work together and be mobile throughout the City of Detroit and not leave to do business in other cities and counties. “It has already brought my family closer by staying close, working together, and not having to separate to other locations.” The Torrence family plans to expand in the future to brick and mortar.

Vending Locations 

Food trucks in the downtown Central Business district and the midtown Cultural Center area can only legally operate in the following four (4) food zones. Food trucks in these zones can only operate on streets where on-street parking is allowed. In the event that the parking space is metered, the food truck will be required to pay parking meter fees for the time they are parked. Food trucks are not allowed in any other part of the greater downtown and midtown areas.

Food trucks may vend outside of the Central Business and Cultural Center areas along commercial corridors unless a corridor is specifically identified as one where food trucks are not allowed. Food trucks cannot operate on any residential street in the city. Food trucks may only operate where on-street parking is allowed. In the event that the parking space is metered, the food truck will be required to pay parking meter fees for the time they are parked.

Food vendors will have two zones in the Central Business District:

• Zone 1 is bordered by Bagley, Cass, Howard, and Third
• Zone 2 is bordered by Jefferson, Rivard, Atwater, and Beaubien

There are also two designated zones in the Midtown/Cultural Center:

• Zone 3 is bordered by Hendrie, Brush, Palmer, and John R
• Zone 4 is bordered by Warren, Brush, Forest, and John R

All other public right-of-ways are now open for great eats in Detroit streets except for those within 200 feet of a restaurant, K-12 school, or sports arena as well as the following restricted commercial corridors:

General Rules

1. Street vendors are NOT allowed to vend between 11PM and 5AM and must have left their vending location by 12AM (Sec. 34-1-5(i)(2).
2. Street vendors cannot engage in sales within 200 feet of the doorway of a business that sells the same goods without written consent (Sec. 34-1-5(c)).
3. Street vendors cannot vend within 200 feet of a K-12 property. (Sec. 34-1-9(a)).
4. Street vendors cannot vend within 200 feet of any sports arena or stadium without written consent (Sec. 34-1-9(c)).
5. Street vendors have a limit of 4 people working at one time (a person with the vendor’s license and three licensed helpers. (Sec. 34-1-25(d)).
6. Street vendors must have a refuse container with a tight fighting lid which must be removed daily by the vendor. (Sec. 34-1-18(a)).
7. Street vendors must obey all other provisions of the Code. (Sec. 34-1-5(h)).

BSEED creates safe environments for City residents. The BSEED mission is to provide for the safety, health, and welfare of the general public as it pertains to buildings and their environs in an efficient, cost-effective, user-friendly, and professional manner.

BSEED enforces construction, property maintenance, environmental compliance, and zoning codes, which preserve and enhance property values and promote quality of life to make Detroit a preferred place to reside and conduct business.