OPINION from local activist Tim Peck (excerpts):
For the past twenty years, mobile food trucks have been prohibited from operating in the downtown Asheville area (although, they are not prohibited from operating in other areas inside the city). The popularity and prudence of the mobile food truck operation nationwide during tough economic times has prompted the city to reconsider the wisdom of this ban. The City of Asheville is presently considering removing the ban and is drafting new regulations for governing the operation of mobile food trucks in the downtown area on private property. This task has been outsourced to the Downtown Commission which, in turn, has delegated the task to a subcommittee dedicated to this specific issue.
In the course of identifying issues and concerns and developing an initial set of regulatory guidelines, the subcommittee has defined some rules that seem to fit within the proper scope of government oversight and some that seem not to fit within that scope. ...
[The bulk of the rules] seem to be an attempt to control factors that do not serve the purpose of protecting individual rights, which is government's sole legitimate purpose. For example, there is a rule limiting hours of operation. No explanation is given. ...
Another rule would restrict the distance of a food truck to a restaurant to no less than 200 feet. ...
A rule establishing a limit to the total number of food trucks is included in the draft regulation. ...
There is another rule that would mandate food truck vendors only offer recyclable containers, cups and utensils to customers. ...
Another standard being established is called “no roaming.” ...
The worst provision in the draft regulation is the explicit requirement that vendors purchase a specific type of technology to mitigate the noise that now comes from conventional gas-powered electric generators. ...
The bottom line for me is this: When I see mobile food vendors, I see poor people making a living and pleasing the community. I see creative entrepreneurs risking their own capital and precious time fulfilling their dreams in a welcoming marketplace. ...
The Mobile Food Vending Subcommittee will now submit its findings to the Downtown Commission, who will then submit their recommendations to the city for reviews, a public hearing and, finally, a vote by city council to become law. ...
Clink link below to read the story.Read the full article
For the past twenty years, mobile food trucks have been prohibited from operating in the downtown Asheville area (although, they are not prohibited from operating in other areas inside the city). The popularity and prudence of the mobile food truck operation nationwide during tough economic times has prompted the city to reconsider the wisdom of this ban. The City of Asheville is presently considering removing the ban and is drafting new regulations for governing the operation of mobile food trucks in the downtown area on private property. This task has been outsourced to the Downtown Commission which, in turn, has delegated the task to a subcommittee dedicated to this specific issue.
In the course of identifying issues and concerns and developing an initial set of regulatory guidelines, the subcommittee has defined some rules that seem to fit within the proper scope of government oversight and some that seem not to fit within that scope. ...
[The bulk of the rules] seem to be an attempt to control factors that do not serve the purpose of protecting individual rights, which is government's sole legitimate purpose. For example, there is a rule limiting hours of operation. No explanation is given. ...
Another rule would restrict the distance of a food truck to a restaurant to no less than 200 feet. ...
A rule establishing a limit to the total number of food trucks is included in the draft regulation. ...
There is another rule that would mandate food truck vendors only offer recyclable containers, cups and utensils to customers. ...
Another standard being established is called “no roaming.” ...
The worst provision in the draft regulation is the explicit requirement that vendors purchase a specific type of technology to mitigate the noise that now comes from conventional gas-powered electric generators. ...
The bottom line for me is this: When I see mobile food vendors, I see poor people making a living and pleasing the community. I see creative entrepreneurs risking their own capital and precious time fulfilling their dreams in a welcoming marketplace. ...
The Mobile Food Vending Subcommittee will now submit its findings to the Downtown Commission, who will then submit their recommendations to the city for reviews, a public hearing and, finally, a vote by city council to become law. ...
Clink link below to read the story.Read the full article
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