POLICY DATABASE
Policy Summary

Law includes standards for receiving a mobile food vendor license, conditions of operation; also encourages offering of some healthy options and use of compostable materials and energy-efficient resources

Background Information

State Massachusetts
Jurisdiction Name Somerville
Jurisdiction Type City,
Population Size 50,000-200,000
Legal Strategies
  • Requires something, sets standards
  • Expressly allows something
Reach Community-wide
Food System Category Distribute; Get;
Evidence for Health

This policy may correspond to diet-related strategies identified by the County Health Rankings’ What Works for Health tool, including:

For research on the potential effectiveness, please review the category links above.

We understand that this information is not comprehensive. It also does not include other important forms of evidence such as community members’ lived experiences and practice-based evidence.

Policy Details

Refers to priority populations?
No

Health-related goal?
Yes

§ 8-637 (e) states: "vendors are encouraged to offer at least 25 percent healthy choice meal options as defined by the Somerville Health Department, except that menus providing only desserts/sweets or confectionary items are encouraged to offer at least one healthy option."

Environmental goal?
Yes

Encourages vendors to use energy-efficient resources, and provide consumers with compostable single-service articles, and a recycling container. Forbids use of styrofoam products. § 8-637(b).

Economic goal?
No

Includes findings?
No

Has a stated intent or purpose?
No

Includes definitions?
Yes

§ 8-361.

Addresses implementation?
Yes

See 8-363 (relating to application form); 364 (relating to public hearing); 366--relating to criteria for issuing a license)

Enforcement provisions?
Yes

Law provides for fines, as well as revocation, suspension or modifications of licenses (sec. 8-369)

Evaluation component?
No

Requires extra investment?
No

Code context and ordinance history

Located in Chapter 8, Licenses, Permits, and Miscellaneous Business Regulations; Article XV, Mobile Food Vendors; (Ord. No. 2012-08, 10-25-2012 and Ord. No. 2013-06, 6-26-2013).

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