ACT NOW! City Council Wants Limitations On Food Trucks

Last month, it was reported that the Norfolk City Planning Commission approved food trucks to operate throughout the city without any limitations.  The next step was to get the approval of City Council.  Well, according to The Pilot, City Council wasn't really on the same page as the Planning Commission and would like stricter regulations for food trucks. 

Food Truck Festival

CC Image courtesy of Bob B. Brown on Flickr

At last night's meeting, several council members disagreed with the City Planning Commission's decision to allow food trucks to operate anywhere they wanted downtown and with the same hours as brick and mortar restaurants.  One proposal offered was limiting them to designated areas such as The Scope, The PLOT, and the proposed art district north of Brambleton Ave. on Granby St.

After much debate, City Council tabled the idea and asked the city administration for more direction.  That gives food truck proponents an opportunity to show City Council how much of a demand there is for them.  We're urging anyone who can to email city council and let them know how great food trucks will be, even if it's just a really short email.  Below are the email addresses for each council member.

mayor@norfolk.gov

anthony.burfoot@norfolk.gov

andrew.protogyrou@norfolk.gov
paul.riddick@norfolk.gov
thomas.smigiel@norfolk.gov
terry.whibley@norfolk.gov
angelia.williams@norfolk.gov

barclay.winn@norfolk.gov

I've also included my email to City Council.

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Hello City Council,

As the owner of two residential properties in Ghent, I care very much about the things Norfolk is doing to improve itself and make it a vibrant community.  I come from DC, where food trucks are a huge part of the culture and every time I go visit, I'm constantly asking myself, "Why can't Norfolk have these?"  I regularly follow council meetings and it seems you guys are really putting an effort into thinking outside the box to make the city more vibrant.  From my experience with DC, food trucks are a fantastic, inexpensive and easy way to do this!  Obviously, everyone can think of the benefits but if one of the issues in not doing it is competition, that just doesn't make sense.  Everyone has competition.  The food trucks amongst themselves will have competition.  That's a part of life and good restaurant owners will work through that and in the end, produce a better product.  Competition helps up everyone's game, which is a good thing.

As for the proposed times food trucks can sell, I don't understand why food trucks couldn't be out late for the late night bar crowd?  If noise really is the reason, I don't get it.  There shouldn't be any more noise than if there weren't food trucks.  At that time of night, everyone is already out in the streets, why not get some food in their body and give them a chance to settle down (or sober up) before getting on the road.  I feel like residents who pay to live in a downtown area should have to accept the typical noise that a downtown brings.  An by the way, this idea has been endorsed by the Downtown Norfolk Civic League.

I (along with many other professionals in their 30's) don't agree with setting limitations from the start on food trucks.  If anything, go with the proposal from Re:Vision Norfolk and see how it goes for a year.  If some of the concerns being floated out there really do come to fruition, then make some stricter rules.

So to sum it up, your team is clearly on the right path in making Norfolk a vibrant destination, but allowing food trucks is a huge step in actually make that a reality.

Thank you for your time.

Bob Pursell