Alexandria, VA Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Vending Zones (2026)

Sec. 9-15-15 of Title 9, Chapter 15 of the Alexandria City Code (general code) governs where on-street food truck vending zones can be placed. The director of transportation and environmental services, after considering input from the traffic and parking board, may establish or remove designated vending locations within parking spaces on the public right-of-way. In choosing a site, the director weighs the concentration of people within a quarter mile, the adequacy of surrounding parking, the adequacy of street space for circulation and safety, and the amount of congestion.

Every designated zone must then meet minimum siting standards: the street must carry at least 66 feet of right-of-way; the zone can include no more than four parking spaces in a row; it cannot sit in front of or within 20 feet of a commercial outdoor dining area, measured along the curb line; it cannot be within 10 feet of an intersection, crosswalk, driveway, bus stop, taxi stand, or handicapped parking space; it cannot occupy any part of a designated loading zone or fire lane; and it must leave adequate clearance for pedestrian traffic as the director determines from the specific site's context.

This section was most recently amended by Ord. No. 5610 on 11/15/25. A truck vending at one of these designated spots is separately barred from receiving deliveries from another vehicle while vending there, per the general operational rules in Sec. 9-15-12.