Katy council updates mobile food vendor rules to align with state law; penalty up to $500 per day

The Katy City Council adopted an ordinance amending the city’s food-and-health code to update rules for mobile food vendors and to align city permitting with recent state law changes.

Staff read the ordinance that amends Article 6.05, Food and Food Establishments, specifically Division 3 on mobile food vendors, updates the appendix fee schedule, provides for an effective date, repeals conflicting provisions and includes a penalty provision "in an amount not to exceed $500 per day for a violation of any provision of this ordinance." The staff reading was presented as a formal ordinance text during the meeting.

Mayor Pro Tem Tim Hicks moved the ordinance; a council member seconded. Hicks said he supported the change because state law now permits a single permit to be valid across jurisdictions and suggested local duplication of permits is unnecessary. Staff confirmed there was no specific community feedback on this amendment; any public comment on mobile vendors had been taken in 2023 when the city initially adopted related language.

The council voted and the motion carried to adopt the ordinance. The transcript records the motion, the second and the chair’s calling of the vote but does not provide a named roll-call tally in the public record provided.

The ordinance updates local code language to reflect state preemption related to mobile vendor permitting and adjusts the city fee schedule; it also establishes the stated maximum daily penalty for violations. No effective date beyond the ordinance text and no specific implementation steps were provided in the reading.