DATE: June 16, 2026
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Joe Prado, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT: Proposed Amendment to the Ordinance Code of Fresno County, Adding Chapter 8.51 "Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations"
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Conduct first hearing to amend Fresno County Ordinance Code, Title 8 Health and Safety, to add Chapter 8.51 "Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations"; waive reading of the Ordinance in its entirety and set the second hearing for June 30, 2026;
2. Designate County Counsel to prepare a fair and adequate summary of the proposed Ordinance; and
3. Direct the Clerk of the Board to post and publish the required summary in accordance with Government Code, Section 25124(b)(1).
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions which would add Chapter 8.51 "Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations" to Title 8 Health and Safety, to allow new economic opportunities for home cooks, expand local food options, and provide easier entry into the retail food business. A microenterprise home kitchen operation (MEHKO) is a new type of retail food facility that is operated by a resident in their private dwelling where food is stored, handled, prepared, and potentially served to consumers. AB626 and AB377 introduced MEHKOs as a new opportunity for a legal pathway into food service and allowed counties full jurisdiction to authorize MEHKOs to operate within the county. This ordinance will allow for a 2-year pilot project to determine the full feasibility and benefit of introducing a MEHKO program. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board choose not to approve the recommended actions, the County would continue without having an ordinance to allow MEHKOs to be introduced into the County of Fresno.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The Department of Public Health (DPH) will incur costs associa...
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