Comparative Overview – Mobile Food Truck Regulations Across Coachella Valley Cities
Regulatory
Category
Cathedral
City
Palm
Desert
Palm Springs Desert Hot
Springs
La Quinta Coachella Indio
Public ROW
Vending
Allowed
w/
restrictions
Prohibited
(except
temporary
zones)
Prohibited in
Downtown
Allowed w/
restrictions
Prohibited Allowed
w/
conditions
Prohibited
Private Property
Vending
Not
directly
permitted
Allowed
w/ owner
consent
Allowed w/
land use
permit
Allowed w/
admin review
Allowed
w/ CUP
Allowed
w/
property
owner
permission
Allowed w/
CUP
Permit Required Yes – City +
County
Yes – City
+ County
Yes – City +
County
Yes – City +
County
Yes –
Business
License +
Health
Yes – City
Permit +
Health
Yes – City +
County
Restroom (Over
1 Hour)
Not
specified
Required
(200 ft)
Required
(200 ft)
Required (200
ft)
Required
if onsite
>1 hour
Not
specified
Required if
stationary
Distance from
Schools
500 ft
(school
days)
1,500 ft
unless
waiver
500 ft from
K–12
300–500 ft
depending on
school
500 ft
(public
schools)
500 ft Not specified
Distance from
Restaurants
Not
addressed
750 ft
buffer
Not specified 50 ft unless
waived
300 ft
unless
waived
Not
specified
Not specified
Loitering / Time
Limit
Not
addressed
30 min
after
service
30 min after
service
Not specified Not
specified
Not
specified
Not specified
Hours of
Operation
Not
defined
Seasonal
(9–5/9–7)
Seasonal
same
7am–2am
(commercial)
7am–
10pm
unless
event
8am–
10pm
7am–10pm
unless
approved
Street
Intersection
Buffer
25 ft 30 ft 30 ft 30 ft 100 ft 100 ft 100 ft
Park Vending Event
permit
required
Event
permit
only
Facility/event
permit
Event permit
required
Special
Event
permit
Allowed
w/ permit
Allowed only
by special
event
Trash/Receptacle
Required
25 ft
cleanup
radius
2 bins min
(Cat 4/5)
2 bins min
(Cat 4/5)
25 ft cleanup +
bins
Yes Yes Yes
Inspection
Requirement
City +
County
City +
County
City + County City + County County
Health
County
Health
County
Health
Insurance
Requirement
Basic
business
coverage
$1M/$2M
+ WC
$1M/$2M +
WC
Liability +
indemnification
Liability
required
Liability
required
Liability +
endorsement
Comparative Overview – Mobile Food Truck Regulations Across Coachella Valley Cities
Cathedral City: Cathedral City Municipal Code §5.82 – Food Vending Vehicles Palm Desert: Palm Desert Municipal Code §5.97 – Regulations for the Operation of Food Trucks
Palm Springs: Palm Springs Municipal Code §6.15 – Mobile Food Vending Vehicles Desert Hot Springs: Desert Hot Springs Municipal Code §5.52 – Mobile Food Vendors La Quinta: La Quinta Municipal Code §5.22 – Mobile Food Facilities Coachella: Coachella Mobile Food Vendor Guidelines (City Ordinance and Policy:
Indio: Indio Municipal Code §5.80 – Mobile Food Facilities