By STAFF | NACS Online
Following a six-month trial, the Cleveland city council votes unanimously to allow mobile food trucks to operate with the city.
CLEVELAND – Following a six-month trial period, the Cleveland city council voted unanimously to allow mobile food trucks to operate within the city, Fox8 Cleveland reports.
Over the past six months, city officials have spoken with food truck operators, street vendors and restaurants to draft the law, which takes effect immediately.
“The great people of the City of Cleveland have had the opportunity to sample our food and see what we’re all about,” said Rusty Phillips of MotorMouth Food Truck.
The legislation allows food trucks to operate in most downtown areas as well as in Tremont and Ohio City with a permit. To operate in other neighborhoods, they would need permission from that ward’s councilperson.
The trucks are prevented from operating in front of a house or vacant lot unless they receive the owner’s permission. Additionally, they cannot park within 100 feet from an existing restaurant or 50 feet from a gas station.
Officials predicted that with firm guidelines in place, the city would see more mobile food trucks roaming the city’s streets.
“There’s always the fear of saturation, but I think what it’s doing, it’s driving the individual food truck operators to strive to do better food,” Phillips said.
“If you want to have a hotdog you still can, God bless you, and if you want to try something a little different you can do that too, and that’s really what this is about and that’s giving Clevelanders a choice,” said Ward 13 councilman Joe Cimperman.
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