City Council
Public Hearing on
Ordinance for Food
and Mobile Businesses
Community Development
Department
April 14, 2026
Background
Sidewalk vendors, food trucks and
carts, Microenterprise Home Kitchen
Operations (MEHKOs), parklets,
outdoor dining, urban agriculture,
and home occupations
Foster economic development and
community vitality, while managing
potential impacts.
Addressing a broad range of
potential situations and activities
PC and CC workshops January
PC public hearing March 16
Sidewalk Vendors—Proposed Standards
City business license + County health permit
and/or State seller’s permit
Locational standards
Public sidewalks only (Food carts on
private property addressed in different
code section)
No blocking sidewalks, must maintain
accessibility
Maintain distance from street furniture,
intersections, events, building entrances,
etc, to ensure functionality
Stationary vendors prohibited in RR and RVL
Sidewalk Vendors—Proposed Standards
Operating standards
Occupy no more than 25 sqft of space
Hours: Residential zones--8am-7pm;
other zones--7am-11pm
Clean up litter and spills
Odor, noise, nuisance performance standards
Permission to use nearby restroom
(stationary vendors 1+ hour)
Roaming vendors—Stop only for sales,
then move to new location
Signage limitations (size, type)
No dining area
Sidewalk Vendors—Proposed Standards
Enforcement:
Administrative fines for code violation
No additional fines or fees
No infractions or misdemeanors
May request ability-to-pay
determination
Fee reduction to 20%
No sidewalk vending permit at this time
Food Trucks/Carts—Proposed General Standards
Ordinance addresses food trucks/carts:
At events
In temporary parklets on public parking
On private commercial properties
In Commercial Industrial zoning district
Standards for all situations:
Business license/Health permit
Clean, litter free conditions; noise
control; access to nearby restroom with
handwashing facilities; self-contained
operation; limited signage, etc.
Food Trucks/Carts—Proposed Standards on
Private Property
Privately owned properties in commercial,
industrial, mixed use, specific plan
(DSP, TOC, SW) zoning
By-right if comply with standards
(zoning clearance)
MUP required if:
Location within 100 ft of dwelling
on another property (CD, SP zones)
DSP Historic Core
Multiple trucks and/or carts at one time
Food Trucks/Carts—Proposed Standards on
Private Property
Any business type as primary use on site
Site may be vacant
Food cart may occupy up to 100 sqft and
isn’t necessarily a “cart”
May provide outdoor dining up to 100 sqft
Trucks, carts, outdoor dining must be removed
nightly; exceptions with MUP
Setbacks: Front/street side 2 ft for sales to
sidewalk; Rear/interior side per zoning if abuts
residential; otherwise the lesser of 5’ or per
zoning
Food Trucks/Carts—Proposed Standards on
Private Property
Operating hours between 7am and
11pm OR closing time adjacent biz
Provide two parking spaces, public
or private (may share with other
uses on property)
Placement may not block
emergency access, other uses on
site, required number of parking
spaces
No amplified music w/o permit
Food Trucks—Proposed Standards in Commercial
Industrial (CI) Zone
For intermittent/short-term operation
Two hours per location maximum
Between 7:00am-6:00pm only
On private properties with owner permission
On street in approved parking spaces
Move at least 500 feet before parking again
Vend to sidewalk side only
Only on streets of 30mph limit or less
Operation/location may not block emergency
access, accessibility, traffic visibility, etc.
Temporary Parklets—Proposed Rules
Parklets guidelines, not part of ordinance
City approval required
1-2 public parking spaces; 1-3 private spaces
License agreement for public parking
Any type of business host and match host hours
Food trucks, food carts on public parking
Maximum 40 days/year
Maximum 3 consecutive days, 4 days between
At least 100 ft between active parklets
Removal from space nightly
No amplified music without permit
Outdoor Dining—Proposed Permitting
Currently, MUP required for outdoor
dining on private property abutting a
residential use in CD, DSP, TOC, or SW
Ordinance proposes MUP requirement
for these zones when:
Outdoor dining location within 100 ft
of a dwelling
On a different property
Zoned residential
On public property, a license agreement
is required (not MUP)—same
consideration near residential
Amplified music requires permit
MEHKOs—Proposed Standards
Add to land use code
Reiterate that only allowed accessory to
a residential use
Exempt from home occupation
standards
Clarify that nuisance standards apply
(noise, illegal parking, blocking street,
solid waste disposal, etc.
Business license and health permit
required
Other Proposed Standards
Chicken-keeping, Market Gardens,
Garden Stands, Community Gardens
Allow in all commercial, mixeduse, and specific plan districts Home Occupations
Allow anywhere within dwelling,
up to 25% of total floor area
Add market gardens and garden
stands
Planning Commission Recommendation
Council adopt ordinance
Amendments:
Allow food trucks to operate for two
hours in a single location
Allow food trucks and carts to operate
until later of 11pm OR closing time of
other businesses on property
Stronger language to prohibit dumping
into storm drains
Clarify amplified music allowed with
permit
Staff Recommendation
The Community Development
Department and the Planning
Commission recommend that the
City Council conduct a public
hearing and adopt an ordinance
amending Cotati Municipal Code
Title 17 (Land Use) and Chapter
9.36 (Conduct in Parks, Plazas,
Streets, Sidewalks, and Other
Places) to establish standards for
food and mobile businesses.
Questions?