Anne Arundel County Food Truck Restrictions Under Review as County Executive, Council Work With Operators to Address Concerns

 Proposed restrictions on food truck operations in Anne Arundel County remain under consideration as county officials work with local operators to address concerns about the potential impact of legislation that would establish new zoning regulations for mobile food businesses.

In a response to questions submitted by Report Annapolis News, Ms. Gabby Reed, Director of Communications for the Office of the County Executive, confirmed that the County Council held a public hearing and considered amendments to Bill No. 61-26 during its September 21 meeting. One amendment related to food trucks was introduced and subsequently withdrawn, and no amendments concerning food trucks were adopted.

The Council agreed to hold all related amendments until its October 5 meeting to allow additional time for county officials, stakeholders and food truck operators to work toward a consensus.

According to Ms. Reed, the amended legislation will receive another public hearing on October 5, when the Council will also vote on additional amendments.

Bill No. 61-26, introduced on July 20, 2026, by County Council Chairwoman Ms. Hummer at the request of the County Executive, proposes extensive revisions to Article 18 of the Anne Arundel County Code, including new provisions governing food truck operations.

Under the proposed legislation, food trucks would be subject to operating hours of 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., along with certain restrictions governing the number of days they may operate and where they may conduct business.

However, Ms. Reed clarified that the proposed three-day weekly operating limit is intended to apply only to food trucks operating in zoning districts where they would be classified as conditional uses, primarily residential and mixed-use districts.

The restriction would not apply to food trucks operating in commercial or industrial zoning districts, where the legislation proposes to classify them as permitted uses.

According to Ms. Reed, the three-day restriction is intended to apply to an individual food truck at a specific location, rather than limiting the total number of days an operator may conduct business throughout the county.

For example, a food truck could operate at one location for three days during a calendar week and then relocate to another location for three additional days. Operators could also conduct business at multiple locations throughout the week, including all seven days, provided they do not operate at the same location for more than three days in a district where the restriction applies.

Ms. Reed further clarified that the proposed zoning regulations would apply only to food trucks operating on private property.

Food trucks operating on public streets would not be subject to the county's Zoning Code and would not be impacted by Bill No. 61-26.

County Explains Purpose of Proposed Regulations

According to Ms. Reed, although food trucks currently require a license from the Department of Inspections and Permits, they are not specifically regulated as a use under the county's existing Zoning Code and may operate on private property only with a temporary use certificate.

The county's stated objective in including food trucks in the legislation is to establish them as a permitted use in commercial and industrial zoning districts and as a conditional use in residential and mixed-use districts.

Ms. Reed explained that the proposed changes would allow food trucks to operate legally under these zoning classifications without being subject to the time limitations associated with temporary use certificates.

She also indicated that food trucks could continue to operate as a temporary use for special events or festivals when necessary.

County Executive Steuart Pittman Responds to Community Concerns

When asked whether the County Executive's Office had received concerns from food truck operators, small business owners and community members regarding the proposed restrictions, Ms. Reed confirmed that the administration had received feedback and was working to address those concerns.

According to the communications director, the County Executive is working with the County Council and food truck operators to develop provisions that address the concerns raised while allowing food trucks to continue operating throughout the county.

Those changes could be addressed through amendments to Bill No. 61-26 or through separate legislation.

Ms. Reed also confirmed that no formal survey has been conducted to determine how many food truck operators or businesses could be affected by the proposed regulations.

County officials are currently meeting with food truck operators to determine how best to proceed.

While the proposed legislation establishes new operating requirements, the county's clarification that the three-day restriction would apply to specific locations in conditional-use districts, rather than to an operator's entire weekly business activity, provides additional context regarding its potential impact.

The County Council is scheduled to revisit the proposed regulations during its October 5 meeting, when additional amendments will be considered and the amended bill will receive another public hearing.

The legislation remains under consideration, and the final language governing food truck operations has not yet been determined.