In February 2020, the Burien City Council directed the Business and Economic Development Partnership (BEDP) to study whether food trucks should be allowed to operate in the City of Burien as part of their 2020 work plan.

After discussion and consideration, the BEDP recommended that a food truck pilot program be authorized for twelve (12) months to assess the efficacy of food truck operations in Burien. Program guidelines were developed to ensure local restaurants, community members, and food truck operators benefit from the program.

The program was approved at the March 15 meeting of the Burien City Council despite a petition signed by more than 50 restaurant owners who signed a petition with Latino advocacy group Empresarios Unidos in opposition to the pilot program.

Area restaurants are concerned that the presence of the trucks will hurt their business since the regulations only call for a 50 foot distance from existing establishments. They also noted that food trucks will take their profits out of the community unlike rent paying restaurants. The City will revisit the plan after hearing from local vendors, on April 5

PROGRAM GUIDELINES

A food truck vendor is defined as a seller of food from a mobile food preparation van, truck, or other vehicle or conveyance. Sales of only pre-packaged food products does not constitute food truck vending. food truck vendors operating within the regulations of this program shall be exempt from a temporary use permit, but must apply for and obtain the following:

•   City of Burien Food Truck Pilot Program authorization

•   City of Burien business license

•   Certificate of Insurance, with a copy of an endorsement naming the additional insured as the City of Burien

•   King County Health Department approvals

•   Any required fire inspection approvals In addition, Food Truck Vendors must abide by:

•   Governor’s COVID-19 related public health orders

•   Other local and state laws as they apply 1. Operating Conditions and Regulations

  Food truck vendors shall not be parked more than 12 inches from curb nor any place where official signs prohibit parking. These distance requirements are all measured in a straight line from the closest point of the proposed food truck location to the closest point from the buffered object.

Food truck vendors shall comply with all parking time limits and location limitations, including sight distance, established in Burien Municipal Code.

Vendors operating hours shall be limited to 6:00 am-10:00 pm. Vendors shall comply with all regulations regarding noise in Burien Municipal Code 9.105.410.

Vendors shall ensure safe circulation for pedestrians, bicyclists, and/or vehicles around the trucks if in the Right of Way.

Signage: One sandwich board sign allowed, placed within the same block the truck is parked; sign shall not impede ADA access.

2. Allowable Locations

Food truck vendors operating within this program shall be allowed to operate on on-street parking rights-of-way, and private property with property owner approval. Food truck vendors shall be required to abide by parking standards referenced in Burien Municipal Code 10.15 unless otherwise noted in the Burien Food Truck Pilot Program Guidelines. Food trucks must receive restaurant owner permission to operate within 50 feet of an existing restaurant.

To operate in a City Park, please contact the City of Burien Parks Department at 206-988-3700 for a Parks permit.

3. Length of Pilot Program

The Burien Food Truck pilot program will begin on May 1, 2021 and be effective until May 1, 2022. Extension or adoption of the program will be based on an assessment and results gathered by the City of Burien and authorization by the Burien City Council. Council may revoke the pilot program if there has been sufficient time to evaluate the program.

4. Prohibitions and Violations

Prohibitions: food truck vendors operating in the right-of-way shall not utilize tables, chairs, or audio amplification in conjunction with the food truck. All equipment shall be contained within or on the food truck vendor, the vendor must provide a trash receptacle and follow all waste disposal and spill prevention regulations.

Violations: If a food truck vendor is found to be in violation of the Burien Food Truck Pilot Program regulations, a written warning will be issued for the first offense. A second offense will result in revocation of the vendor’s pilot program authorization. Other regulations and associated violations of the Burien Municipal Code may still be enforced, in addition to the Burien Food Truck Pilot Program regulations.