Town Weakens Strict Food Truck Rules

The town is pressing forward with new rules that govern food trucks, but the new ordinance has been scaled back from earlier versions.

Passed by town council committee on Monday, the new rules won't limit mobile food vendors to restaurant-free parts of town, and there are no limitations on seating.

The new measure still requires food truck operators to obtain a town permit. They will be required to locate only in retail areas, obtain a town business license, prove Department of Health and Environment Control compliance and prove permission from landowner to set up the truck.

Since December, the town has been in talks to launch a one-year pilot food truck permitting rule aimed at providing some regulation to the growing business.  The proposal revealed deep rifts between food truck operators and traditional stationary restaurant operators.

Last month, the Planning Commission, aiming to provide equity between the businesses, added to the permit requirements that food trucks not set up "adjacent to or across from" existing full-service restaurants. They also banned seating near the food trucks.

"My problem with the (proximity) rule is that it would pretty much eliminate every place I've seen a food truck parked," said Councilman John Burn, who sits on the planning committee. "And if they came with a card table and a few chairs, I don't have a problem with it."

The new rules — sans the proximity and seating regulations — passed committee on a 3 - 0 vote. Burn, Elton Carrier and Thomasena Stokes-Marshall voted for the measure. Councilwoman Linda Page, whose brother owns a restaurant, abstained from the vote.

Now the measure heads to the town council for final approval.

"It looks like the food trucks and the restaurants will have to learn to live with one another," said Councilman Chris Nickels, who said he's only heard support for having food trucks in Mount Pleasant.

"I think the new permitting process is reasonable, and I'm glad we didn't pile on regulations that would have made it difficult for them to do business in Mount Pleasant."