The Katy City Council at its April 24 meeting passed an ordinance establishing a new policy for operating food trucks in the city.

Under the new policy, a prospective food truck operator must comply with regulations and have permits as set by either the Harris County Health Department or the Fort Bend County Health and Human Services department. Waller County has a health department, but no regulations for food trucks, Katy city planner Rachel Lazo said.

Prospective food truck operators must register with the city. Lazo said the initial application fee is $200, and an annual renewal application fee is $150. The annual permit fee is $25, she said. Applications for food truck operators will go through the city’s permits department.

The ordinance specifies that no food truck may be on any property without written permission of the property owner. Such an authorization must be in writing and kept in the food truck.

Food trucks cannot conduct sales where its operation interferes with traffic, be it automobile or pedestrian, or within the public right-of-way, without an approved traffic plan from the Katy Police Department and approved by the city Council.

Food trucks must be located on an improved all-weather surface, which the city defines as concrete, asphalt or brick pavers.

Food trucks expected to operate on a more permanent basis and what is called the old Katy district, which Lazo said, in general terms is the area between 1^st and 5^th streets and Avenue A to Avenue D. In such cases, the ordinance requires that the food truck be behind a building and may not be closer than 300 feet to another property with another food truck.

Lazo said in an interview that interest in operating food trucks in Katy has been strong during the 1½ years she has worked with the city. The newly-adopted policy has been in development for some time, she said.

The policy was presented for council consideration at its April 10 meeting, but following questions from council members, the decision was made to tag—or hold—the item until the next meeting so it could be reviewed more thoroughly by everyone.