Food Truck Boom Results In Permit Shutdown Request

 

By Pru Sowers

 

The food trucks sprouting up on Key West’s streets seem simple enough, providing quick, inexpensive meals in a city where long lines and high prices are the dish du jour at many local restaurants.

 

 

But they’re not simple at all, says city planner Don Craig. Should parking and seating be required? How many should be allowed? Should they be required to hook into the city sewer system or provide grease traps? And are they unfair competition for area restaurants, which have to do all that and more?

 

 

Until the city can wrap its arms around these issues, Craig wants a six-month moratorium, called a zoning in progress, on granting new permits to food trucks. The permit pause would give planners time to write proposed codes regulating the proliferation of the food service trucks.

 

 

The planning board took a first crack at the permit freeze but postponed the item until its April 17 meeting. The City Commission would have the final say on whether the permit freeze would be approved.

 

 

“How many [trucks] should be allowed on a particular lot, what are the hours of operation, do they need a grease trap,” Craig said, adding, “That can get expensive for them.”

 

 

Craig pointed to one of the newest food trucks, White Street Station, located next to a service station at the corner of Truman and White streets. The truck is next door to a single family home, he said, questioning whether cooking smells presented a problem in the residential neighborhood.

 

 

While there is no breakdown on the number of operational food trucks in Key West because food trucks, carts and booths are listed under the same mobile vendors category, licensing coordinator and administrator Kim Pita estimated approximately 10 food truck permits had been issued, with about six of them actively preparing and serving food. There is only one permit in the pipeline, she said, and that is expected to be finalized this week so a six-month moratorium wouldn’t stop any existing permit applications.

 

 

“The city does not have a mechanism to regulate the use, location, design, operation, maintenance and number of mobile food dispensing vehicles. Many cities and counties throughout Florida have regulated such vehicles to protect their communities against potential adverse effects,” said Key West Senior Planner Brendon Cunningham in a memo to the planning board.

 

 

However, one new food truck at 629 Duval St., Yebo Island Grill, has already been cited for code violations because the owner has not submitted a minor development plan as required, said Jim Young, the city’s senior manager in code compliance. The owner had previously gone before the planning board for permission to open the truck with approximately 25 seats. The planning board approved the application in October but approval from both the Historic Architectural Review Commission and City Commission was required before moving ahead. Young said the owner had been given time to comply but has not.

 

 

“The next thing is a notice of a hearing before a special magistrate,” Young said.

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