City of Milton drops licensing fee for mobile businesses, makes it easier to operate them on public property

The city of Milton scrapped its licensing fee for mobile businesses, such as food trucks and coffee trailers, and loosened rules about when operators have to submit site plans before operating at a location.

In addition to requiring health inspection reports and commercial liability insurance for such businesses to operate, the city also charged $300 or $600 for a 6- or 12-month operating license. An amendment to the mobile business ordinance passed during Wednesday's city council meeting ended those charges.

The amendment also made it so site plans do not have to be submitted when mobile businesses operate at a public location. Previously, the mobile business ordinance, which hadn't been altered since 2014, required owners to submit site plans to the city before setting up on either public or private property.

Milton City Administrator Al Hulick told The Gazette that the changes enacted in the amendment will remove significant obstacles food truck operators faced in the past.

"We as a city staff view this as being a much more lenient approach toward food trucks," Hulick said.