BIDDEFORD — Food trucks seem to be a new trend in the Biddeford area. In order to be “proactive,” City Council on Tuesday gave a preliminary thumbs up to an ordinance that requires food truck operators to get a special license and to follow a host of other regulations. The council must vote one more time before the ordinance can be enacted.

“Food trucks seem to be an up and coming industry in Biddeford,” City Clerk Carmen Morris said. So far there have only been two or three that have come to town in recent years.

“The city is being proactive in putting this ordinance in place,” she said.

Currently, when a mobile food truck wants to set up in Biddeford they are granted a victualer’s license, which is for an eating establishment, Morris said.

But “they’re not a restaurant, they’re not an ice cream truck,” she said. “We  wanted to make sure we had something for that unique business.”

According to the ordinance, the purpose is to regulate mobile food vending on both private and public property.

The ordinance requires that before a food truck vendor operates in the city they must get a permit, which costs $200 — permits must be renewed annually and displayed where they can be viewed by the public. Vendors must obtain and show proof of commercial general liability insurance of at least $1 million and a State of Maine Health certificate when applying for a permit.

Food trucks can’t locate in a single-family residential or agricultural zone unless approved by the code enforcement officer; they can’t locate within 100 feet of the main entrance of a restaurant nor within 40 feet of another mobile food truck, except during community events.

They aren’t allowed at a set location for more than an hour in certain locations, such as public parks or fire lanes. They can’t operate in a congested area that impedes traffic nor between 1 and 6 a.m.

Other requirements include: food trucks must have trash receptacles and be sanitary, they cannot have a drive through or project continuous music or repetitive sounds from the truck, and they aren’t allowed to sell within public park facilities while park concessions are being sold.

In addition on Tuesday, City Council voted for final passage on amendments to the ice cream truck ordinance. Amendments include ice cream trucks can’t park in no parking zones, permit parking only zones (unless they have a permit), fire lanes of any other place that interferes with normal vehicular or pedestrian traffic; icy treats can only be sold from the right side of the truck and not on the side where oncoming traffic is coming from.

These changes will mostly effect ice cream truck operators who sell at Biddeford’s beaches, Morris said. In the past, such trucks have parked in places where other vehicles aren’t allowed; this will no longer be permitted.

— Associate Editor Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 324, or dmendros@gmail.com.