Brainerd City Council Approves Fee For Food Trucks

Via the Brainerd Dispatch:

The Brainerd City Council Monday approved a fee for food truck operators looking to serve up hot dogs, sandwiches, tacos and more in the city of Brainerd.



The council held the second reading of Ordinance No. 1437, which specifies a $500 annual fee for food trucks, wagons, stands and food carts. The council then unanimously approved the adoption of the ordinance following the second reading.

A memo from City Planner Mark Ostgarden provided information from 17 Minnesota cities about their own annual fees for food trucks. The annual fee of $500 is higher than the fee charged by the other cities that provided feedback.

"Based on the additional information from other cities, it is recommended that the city council consider reducing the annual fee considerably to be more in line with other cities," Ostgarden wrote. "Based on other cities' annual fees, it appears $50-100 would be more appropriate."

A short term or seasonal fee is also uncommon, Ostgarden said. Of the 17 surveyed cities, only Albert Lea, Austin and Bloomington offered short term fees.