El Paso City Code tit. 12, ch. 12.46 — MOBILE FOOD VENDORS | El Paso City Code (Supp. No. 95, Update 4: codified through Ordinance No. 019889, enacted June 23, 2026) — City of El Paso

El Paso City Code § 12.46.010 Definitions.

12.46.010 - Definitions. For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and terms shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Downtown area" means the area bounded by Yandell Street, Kansas Street, Cesar Chavez/Border Highway and Santa Fe Street, and including the entire width of the public rights-of-way within said area. "Mobile food establishment" means a vehicle-mounted food establishment designed to be readily movable. "Mobile food vendor" means a food establishment contained within or mounted on a motor vehicle designed to be driven along the streets for the purpose of stopping briefly for the purpose of selling food or other edible or potable substances directly from the vehicle to customers who come to the vehicle. (Ord. 14847 § 1 (part), 2001)

El Paso City Code § 12.46.020 Mobile food vending regulations.

12.46.020 - Mobile food vending regulations. It shall be unlawful for the operator of any motorized mobile food establishment to stop, stand or park such vehicle on any public street or thoroughfare when ice cream, frozen desserts, candy or other edible or potable substances are sold or offered for sale, from such vehicle, unless such operator before making any such sale and at the time of such sale shall operate his or her vehicle in the following manner: A. Such vehicle shall stop, stand or park at the right curb on a two-way street and at either curb on a one-way street, within eighteen inches of such curb before any sale or offering of sale shall be made; B. Such vehicle shall not stop, stand or park in the downtown area, unless a special privilege is granted by city council. For purposes of this section, the downtown area shall be defined as the area bounded by Yandell Street, Kansas Street, Cesar Chavez/Border Highway and Santa Fe Street, and including the entire width of the public rights-of-way within said area. C. Such vehicle shall be allowed to stop, stand or park on any public street or right-of-way, provided this area is not within twenty feet of an intersection, such vehicle does not obstruct a pedestrian crosswalk and the area is not prohibited to the stopping, standing or parking of such vehicles; D. Such vehicle shall not obstruct vehicular or pedestrian traffic; E. Reserved; F. Vendors shall only serve customers when the mobile vending vehicle is parked, and at such stops the vehicle's motor shall be cut off, unless its operation is essential to producing or maintaining the product sold. Vendors whose vehicles require the continuous operation of the motor to produce or maintain the product must either apply the parking brake if the vehicle is equipped with a manual transmission or place the vehicle's automatic transmission in the "park" position while conducting sales; G. Reserved; H. No sale or offering to sell shall be made from any mobile vending vehicle on city right-of-way within two blocks of any school; I. No sale or offering to sell shall be made on any street or thoroughfare where the lawful speed limit exceeds thirty miles per hour; J. On and after June 15, 2001, the operator of such vehicle shall illuminate the blinking or flashing lights required under Section 12.46.030 immediately upon stopping, standing or parking the vehicle for the purpose of making a sale and the lights shall remain illuminated until such time as the vehicle resumes travel. It shall be unlawful for a mobile food vendor to illuminate the blinking or flashing lights required under Section 12.46.030 while the vehicle is moving; K. Any person violating any provision of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and punished by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars pursuant to Section 12.84.010. (Ord. 14847 § 1 (part), 2001) (Ord. No. 17545, § 1, 4-26-2011)

El Paso City Code § 12.46.030 Vehicle requirements and inspections.

12.46.030 - Vehicle requirements and inspections. A. On and after June 15, 2001, mobile food vending vehicles shall be equipped with front and rear blinking or flashing caution signals in addition to the standard vehicle flashers. The front signals shall be mounted above the headlights and as high on the vehicle as practicable. The front signals shall be as widely spaced laterally as practicable and shall display simultaneously blinking or flashing amber lights. The rear signals shall be at least six inches in diameter, visible from five hundred feet away in daylight, mounted above the turn signals and as high on the vehicle as practicable, as widely spaced laterally as practicable and shall display simultaneously blinking or flashing amber or red lights. B. On and after June 15, 2001, police officers may inspect mobile food vending vehicles operating on the streets or thoroughfares of the city for the purpose of determining whether the vehicles comply with this chapter and if the signals required under this section are present and operational. C. The operator of a mobile food vending vehicle commits an offense if on or after June 15, 2001, he or she refuses to illuminate the lights on their vehicle required under this section, at the request of a police officer during an inspection conducted in accordance with this section. (Ord. 14847 § 1 (part), 2001)