A victory meal may be in order for food truck operators in Wilmington after the city council green-lighted their place in the city code book Tuesday night.
Prior, the “mobile food units” had no specific standards to follow for operation in the city limits and were squeezed by the restrictions of special-use permits that essentially made steady business unfeasible.
Per food trucks’ increasing popularity, and following an application for rules from a local operator, city staffers and private business owners spent more than six months developing guidelines and arrived at a manageable menu that includes a prohibition on the trucks operating within 75 feet of any open restaurant, a point seen as fair play.
They could serve meals on private property in any nonresidential district in the city, provided the truck has permission from the property’s owner.
Hours of operation would be limited to between 6 a.m. and 3 a.m., though in the restaurant-dense downtown area, in the Central Business District (CBD), food trucks could only operate for a maximum of five consecutive hours at any single spot and would be restricted to a maximum of two sites per day.
“Downtown is a different animal” than the rest of Wilmington, city planner Brian Chambers asserted, adding the CBD’s special restrictions followed lengths of time spent with food truck owners and traditional restauranteurs on how to fairly develop the rules.
But one downtown merchant, Joan Loch of Front Street’s Crescent Moon retailer, voiced some concern Tuesday over the cost of the annual permit now available to food truck owners. It’s $25, rather low compared to the privilege license fee and other costs brick-and-mortar establishments have to pay, she said.
Further, food trucks could have unforeseeable impact on city services, she suggested.
“There’s a lot of other outcomes from this that might have impact on city services and I would ask that you review that charge as far as $25,” Loch said, adding she’s otherwise supportive of food trucks in Wilmington.
Chambers had already recommended the city review the permit fee at some point for increases if demand calls, and Mayor Bill Saffo said he would expect that during annual budget planning.
James Smith, owner of the Patty Wagon food truck, extended his thanks to the city’s planning staff for its work on the regulations. He also tried to squash another concern voiced from council: could these trucks operate 20 hours straight daily in the parking lot of a strip mall already anchored by an eatery?
Technically, yes, staffers said, as long as it’s 75 feet from the front door.
But according to Smith, that’s not going to happen. Restaurants have to thrive to afford their leases; with competition from a food truck, that can be jeopardized.
As the property owner has to provide the food truck permission to serve on site, Smith said, “They’re in their best interest not to allow me there.”
Past stories:
Food trucks head to city council
Planning commission backs rules for food trucks
Food truck regulations near reality
With food truck regulations pending, supporters schedule downtown rally
City hears from stakeholders on regulating food trucks
Wilmington invites input on possible food truck regulations
Ben Brown is a news reporter at Port City Daily. Reach him at [email protected] or (910) 772-6335. On Twitter: @benbrownmedia
