Board extends temporary mobile-food permit to May while trustees rewrite ordinance and address zoning questions

The Sleepy Hollow Village Board voted to extend its temporary 2026 mobile food-vendor licensing program through May after an extended debate about whether some permitted vendors were functioning as stationary, fixed-location businesses and about zoning irregularities at the Galt/Verlo property.

Trustees discussed draft ordinances used by nearby municipalities (Pingree Grove, St. Charles) and the county health department’s separate rules for mobile versus standalone food-service operations. Several trustees said the current situation arose because the village’s temporary permit language was not sufficiently precise; others argued the business at issue had complied with the permit granted under last year's temporary rules and should be treated fairly while the village fixes its ordinances.

The vote and why it matters: Trustee Diatley moved and Trustee Canelli seconded a motion to extend the temporary mobile-food licensing until May (the extension applies to the temporary program and any applicants under it, not to a single business). Roll call showed three trustees in favor and two opposed; the motion passed. Trustees said the extension will give staff and the planning-and-zoning body time to address whether a permanent ordinance is needed, whether zoning changes are required for the Galt/Verlo property, and how to reconcile county-health and village standards.

Key concerns raised:
- Zoning mismatch: Trustees and staff said the parking lot where the vendor operates remains zoned residential from an annexation years ago; some businesses have operated in a mixed-use pattern without formal zoning updates.
- Mobile vs. fixed: County health rules differ for mobile trucks and standalone booths; trustees asked staff to verify the vendor’s health-department classification and whether bathrooms, water and refuse arrangements comply.
- Fairness and process: Several trustees argued the vendor followed the village’s temporary permit rules and that the village must not penalize a business for the village’s own ambiguous language. Other trustees insisted the village cannot create precedents by repeatedly extending temporary permits without resolving zoning and ordinance issues.

What the board approved: A temporary extension of the mobile food-vendor licensing program through May, plus directions to: ask planning and zoning to review zoning on the Galt/Verlo parcel, ask the village attorney to clarify whether the extension is procedurally correct, and direct staff to draft one or two ordinance options (mobile vs. fixed-location) for board consideration.

Votes at a glance (from this meeting):
- Motion to extend temporary mobile-food licensing to May — passed, roll call 3–2.

Ending: Trustees agreed to collaborate on ordinance language and to bring a clearer draft forward; the temporary extension leaves the vendor program active while the village addresses zoning and code fixes.