The Lafayette City Council is set to discuss food trucks at its upcoming meeting at the request of the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce.
According to the February 9, 2026 Staff Report:
The City Council received a request from the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce (“Chamber”) dated January 14, 2026 to review the increasing presence of food trucks operating along Mount Diablo Boulevard and to consider whether an ordinance or parking restrictions – within the parameters of California and Contra Costa County law – is appropriate to regulate food truck activity in the downtown core. The Council also received an email from Maria Gastelumendi, owner of The Rising Loafer Café and Bakery, which included statements from several downtown business owners describing their concerns and the negative impacts they believe food truck operations have had on their businesses.
According to city staff, three food trucks—La Bikina Mexican Cuisine, Hummus Bodega, and Spicy Burrito—regularly operate within or adjacent to the downtown core.
Mobile Food Facilities are regulated by Contra Costa Health, which issues and annually renews Mobile Food Facility permits. Contra Costa Health Services provided the following information regarding the three food trucks currently operating in Lafayette:
- La Bikina Mexican Cuisine has not submitted a Mobile Food Facility permit application for 2026. The most recent permit on record was issued for calendar year 2025.
- Hummus Bodega has not submitted a Mobile Food Facility permit application for 2026. County staff reviewed the vehicle license plate and the 2025 permit decal displayed on the truck and advised that the decal is associated with a different vendor, One & Only Shawarma.
- Spicy Burrito has not submitted a Mobile Food Facility permit application for 2026 and has not applied for a Mobile Food Facility permit with Contra Costa Health Services since 2021
On February 3, 2026, City Code Enforcement submitted Environmental Health Complaint Reports to Contra Costa Health for all three food truck operators.
City Regulation:
- Licenses and permits: The City of Lafayette does not currently require business licenses or mobile food truck permits.
- Parking Enforcement: City of Lafayette Parking Enforcement Officers routinely monitor food truck compliance with parking regulations. The City has issued a ticket to one operator for failure to pay a parking meter.
- Signage Restrictions: Under existing City regulations, signs placed across or within the public right-of-way are prohibited. Additionally, portable, mobile, or A-frame (A-board) signs are expressly prohibited pursuant to Lafayette Municipal Code § 6-2519 (Prohibited Signs). These restrictions apply regardless of whether the sign is associated with temporary use, including food vending operations.
- Code Enforcement staff have responded to multiple complaints involving food vendors placing tables, chairs, signage, and other objects within the public right-of-way and on sidewalks. While vendors are generally compliant when contacted and instructed to remove these items, staff have observed repeated occurrences of the same violations, suggesting a pattern of non-compliance rather than isolated incidents.
The council is being asked to provide direction to staff for additional analysis or to develop a potential regulatory or policy options — including Areas to explore could include regulations addressing sidewalk and public right-of-way obstructions; limits on days, hours, or locations of food truck operation, and/or community outreach to gather broader feedback.
If You Go
Lafayette City Council Meeting
February 9, 2026
Agenda: click here
