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

Section 32-283 lays out where food trucks can and cannot set up, layering several buffers and zone restrictions onto the general permit requirement. Outside the Downtown area (defined in § 32-276 as east of Effingham Street, north of I-264, south of Queen Street and west of the Elizabeth River's Southern Branch), food trucks are barred from public roadways in residential zoning districts entirely, and even in non-residential zones they must be lawfully parked in an existing space, stay at least 25 feet from any intersection, crosswalk, driveway, bus stop or fire hydrant, avoid bicycle lanes, and steer clear of the Historic Residential section of Olde Towne altogether.

Inside the Downtown area itself, § 32-284 confines food trucks to designated special events and festivals, requiring either a food truck permit or a special-event permit, and keeping trucks 25 feet from any open restaurant's main entrance (with a microbrewery exception). 2(J)(6)(h)(ii). Two additional buffers apply everywhere: trucks must stay 100 feet from any military base, office or federal building without written military authorization, and 500 feet from a concession stand serving a youth athletic or scholastic fundraiser unless that nonprofit consents in writing. under § 32-278, extendable by the city manager for special events.