Stonecrest, GA Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Vending Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Zoning Ordinance § 4.2.67(B)-(C)(1)
- Allowed districts
- All residential, OD, OI, C-1, C-2, M, M-2
- Distance from restaurants
- 200 feet minimum unless waived
- Distance from food retail
- 100 feet minimum unless waived
- Waiver requirement
- Written, notarized permission, owner and lease holder
- Surface rule
- Paved surfaces only
Summary
The City of Stonecrest confines food trucks and mobile vending carts to specific zoning districts and distances under Zoning Ordinance § 4.2.67(B)-(C). Vending is allowed in all residential districts, OD, OI, C-1, C-2, M and M-2 or accessory to institutional uses, but trucks must stay 200 feet from any eating establishment and 100 feet from any food-selling retail store.
B.Permitted locations.1.Allowable districts: All residential, OD, OI, C-1, C-2, M, M-2, and accessory to institutional uses, such as a place of worship or a school, or for the benefit of community interest; determined by Planning and Zoning Director.2.Food Trucks, Mobile Vending/Food Carts shall be required to park on paved surfaces.C.Restricted locations.1.All Food Trucks, Mobile Vending/Food Carts shall be located a minimum of 200 feet from any eating establishment and 100 feet from any retail store that sell food unless both the property owner(s) ... and lease holder(s) of said eating establishment/retail store grant written notarized permission for the Food Trucks, Mobile Vending/Food Cart to be located closer than this minimum setback.
Full Breakdown
Section 4.2.67(B) of the Stonecrest Zoning Ordinance lists the districts where a food truck, mobile vending unit or food cart may operate: 'All residential, OD, OI, C-1, C-2, M, M-2, and accessory to institutional uses, such as a place of worship or a school, or for the benefit of community interest,' with the Planning and Zoning Director determining fit for the institutional-use category. Subsection B.2 requires the vending location to be a paved surface, ruling out gravel lots and unimproved yards even within an allowed district.
Subsection C.1 then layers a competitive-distance restriction on top of the district list: a truck or cart must sit at least 200 feet from any eating establishment and 100 feet from any retail store that sells food, unless the property owner and lease holder of that competing business both grant written, notarized permission to waive the buffer. Ownership for that waiver is verified against DeKalb County's tax and GIS records, or a recorded deed if ownership recently changed. The 200/100-foot buffers apply citywide inside the allowed districts, so a truck cannot simply find an OI or C-2 parcel and set up next to an existing restaurant or grocery store without that written waiver.
Combined with the separate 25-foot right-of-way setback in subsection C.2, the practical effect is that legal vending sites in Stonecrest cluster on larger commercial parcels away from storefronts and street frontage.
Violations & Fines
Operating a food truck or cart outside the districts listed in § 4.2.67(B), on an unpaved surface, or within 200 feet of an eating establishment or 100 feet of a food-selling retail store without the required written, notarized waiver from both the owner and lease holder violates § 4.2.67(B)-(C) and exposes the vendor's Special Administrative Permit to denial or revocation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where in Stonecrest can a food truck legally park?
Can a food truck set up right next to an existing restaurant?
Does being in an allowed district override the distance buffers?
Can a food truck park on grass or gravel if the lot is in an allowed district?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Stonecrest
Compare Stonecrest to another location·View the Georgia food trucks & mobile vendors overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.