Bexley residents will soon be able to grab a bite to eat from a food cart vendor and see written proof that the restaurants they eat in have passed health inspections.

During their Dec. 13 meeting, city council members approved legislation related to both issues.

Jed Morison, service committee chairman, authored the food cart legislation. While food carts will be allowed to operate in the city, they will be prohibited from setting up on public property or rights of way. They will not be permitted within 500 feet of a school facility without prior authorization from the school administration.

In order to operate a food cart, vendors must first have the carts inspected for safety and obtain a permit from the city of Bexley. The exact fees for those permits are yet to be determined. Fees will depend on the hours of operation for each cart.

Vendors will also be required to meet all regulations for the sale of food established by the Bexley city code and the Ohio Revised Code.

The sale of alcoholic beverages from food carts will be prohibited.

Gasoline-powered generators on pushcarts are not permitted. Only propane-powered generators may be used.

The new ordinance pertaining to public health signage at food service institutions, authored by safety committee chairman Mark Masser, will not give the establishment a grade, but will ensure patrons that it has been inspected and that the results of that inspection are available for their immediate review.

Proprietors will be required to display a sign designating when the facility was inspected, how to find the inspection report on the Franklin County Public Health website, and a phone number to call for more information.

The ordinance also requires that the sign be posted on the front window of the establishment so it can be seen from outside and within five feet of the front door and not less than four feet or more than six feet from the floor. The exact location of the signage is to be decided upon at the discretion of the health department.