Food trucks are becoming an increasingly visible part of streetlife in many cities, but few have figured out how to deal with them from a policy standpoint.
This piece from The City Fix looks at the trend in Washington D.C., and how the city's government is reacting.
"Planners are thrilled at the food cart craze too, as carts can enliven the urban environment and revive dead spaces, such as parking lots. In times of recession, street food seems even more important, providing affordable eating options to citizens and allowing culinary entrepreneurs to open businesses with lower start-up costs.
However, this trend has developed in spite of the challenges facing mobile food vendors. Food carts don't seem to fit into cities' normal regulatory structures – they're mobile and can cross jurisdictional lines, but they also need to park, and are often not welcome in public or private spaces. They sell food and need to pass health inspections, but they're not traditional brick-and-mortar restaurants. They offer a service to customers but not necessarily amenities like restrooms."
FULL STORY: Food Trucks: Tasty, But Tricky

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide
Officials estimate the cost of building a single underground parking space at up to $100,000.

Orange County, Florida Adopts Largest US “Sprawl Repair” Code
The ‘Orange Code’ seeks to rectify decades of sprawl-inducing, car-oriented development.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)