Anne Arundel County's proposed Bill 61-26 would add the county's first formal zoning rules for mobile food vendors. The 239-page rewrite could limit food trucks to three operating days a week and set other location and operating restrictions, prompting owners to warn that the changes could threaten their businesses.
The proposed changes would allow food trucks to operate up to three days a week between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m., according to WMAR 2 News. Bill 61-26 was introduced July 20, and the County Council held a public hearing on an amended version Sept. 21 after considering 116 proposed amendments. Owners told the outlet the limits could make it difficult to remain in business.
Food truck owner Rosa Gargano told WMAR 2 News that food trucks pay thousands of dollars in sales tax and argued that restrictions could affect both the county and Maryland economies. She also called for clearer rules so operators know which activities are permitted. Some owners told the outlet they learned about the proposed changes only shortly before the September hearing.
What the Zoning Language Actually Says
Before Bill 61-26, Article 18 did not contain a zoning definition or category for food trucks, according to The Duckpin. Proposed Section 18-10-139 would limit food trucks in residential districts to properties owned by a homeowners association, religious facility, or school. Critics say that language would exclude private driveways and informal neighborhood gatherings, according to the same outlet.
In mixed-use zoning districts, the same section would prohibit food trucks from operating within 100 feet of any property developed with residential uses, a buffer intended to limit noise and traffic near mixed-use developments. In open-space districts, food truck operations would have to function exclusively as an accessory to an active recreational use, which The Duckpin notes could create compliance headaches for vendors at rural properties or community events that aren't tied to organized recreation.
The bill would formally make food trucks a permitted use in industrial districts and casual or community vending areas, while treating them as a conditional use in residential, mixed-use, and open-space districts, according to Anne Arundel County Government documents. County officials have framed that structure as a legal pathway rather than a ban, arguing the changes provide a framework for an industry that previously had none.
A Once-in-a-Generation Zoning Rewrite
Bill 61-26 represents the first comprehensive review of Article 18 since 2005, according to the Anne Arundel County Government Relations Office, and it modifies more than 300 line items covering zoning definitions, permitted uses, parking requirements, conditional and special exception uses, nonconforming uses, and enforcement. The bill was introduced at the request of County Executive Steuart Pittman on behalf of the Office of Planning and Zoning, following multi-year requests from stakeholder groups including the Growth Action Network, the Maryland Building Industry Association, and the NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Development Association, per the county's legislative summary.
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Janssen Evelyn told the council that food trucks are a necessary and vibrant part of the local business ecosystem, but had previously been unregulated within it, according to WMAR 2 News. That framing underscores the county's position that formalizing food truck rules — even with new restrictions — closes a gap rather than opening a new one.
Business Groups and Safety Officials Weigh In
Separate from the zoning debate, mobile food vehicles in Anne Arundel County must be inspected before operating and may be spot-checked by the county's Fire Marshal Division under state and county fire codes, according to Anne Arundel County Government. The county source does not require an annual reinspection. Food truck owners have pointed to that existing oversight as evidence that public safety and sanitation concerns are already addressed without additional zoning restrictions.
How Nearby Jurisdictions Regulate Food Trucks
Neighboring Maryland jurisdictions use different regulatory requirements, but the available guidance does not establish a directly comparable set of limits on operating days, hours, or distance from homes. Howard County requires annual Fire Marshal inspections and a food service facility license, according to Howard County Fire and Rescue Services and the Howard County Department of Health. Baltimore City's mobile-vending rules, meanwhile, require applicants to be at least 18 and to present proper identification, according to the Baltimore City Department of Transportation.
Business organizations including the Pasadena Business Association and the Southern Anne Arundel Chamber of Commerce submitted official testimony warning that Bill 61-26 could economically harm local farms, catering businesses, and community events, according to county records of the September 21 legislative testimony. Their concerns echo those raised by individual vendors, suggesting the pushback against the bill's food truck provisions extends well beyond the mobile food industry itself.
A Deadline Looms in October
Anne Arundel County legislative procedures set an official expiration date of October 23 for Bill 61-26, meaning the county council must complete its final vote before then. The council is expected to vote on the bill on October 5, giving lawmakers a narrow window to weigh further changes after considering 116 proposed amendments during the September hearing process, as reported by WMAR 2 News.
