The City of Rocklin is moving ahead with new regulations aimed at mobile food vendors, such as food trucks.

City Council unanimously approved the first reading of a proposed ordinance during Tuesday night's meeting. City leaders say the rules are needed because Rocklin currently has no formal regulations in place to monitor or enforce mobile vending activity.

"The city realized there were no regulations on the books for us to enforce or monitor mobile vending activities," said Assistant City Manager Andrew Keys. "So we thought it was necessary to put in some time, place, and manner restrictions."

Under the proposed ordinance, mobile food vendors would be prohibited from operating between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. without approval from the City Manager. Vendors would also face new location restrictions, particularly near schools, parks, and residential areas.

The ordinance would prohibit mobile food vending within 200 feet of any park, school, or permitted event during school hours. Additional restrictions would ban vending within 50 feet of fire hydrants, bus stops, crosswalks, traffic signals, stop signs, or driveways, as well as 15 feet from any building entrance or emergency exit. 

Vendors would also be restricted from operating within 500 feet of freeway on-ramps or off-ramps.

Mobile food vendors would generally be prohibited in residential zones, except during city-permitted events, on private property with permission, or when providing catering services for pre-arranged private events with no on-site sales.

The proposed rules would allow vendors to operate for more than two hours on private property, as long as the property owner gives permission. 

A second reading of the ordinance is scheduled for January 27. If approved, the new regulations would take effect 30 days later.