food truck connectionBOYNTON BEACH, FL – Food trucks, although a hit in Boynton Beach, have been missing from the city for almost four months.

Now, that’s about to change.

Permitting glitches shut down a popular food truck event and forced the city to come up with new guidelines to govern the popular mobile eateries. So far, two food trucks have applied to work the streets in the Boynton.

One is called Due South Brewery and another truck is called a Little Taste of Heaven. City officials say the trucks should be on the road shortly.

Although it appears the new permitting rules are working — at least in two cases — not everyone is thrilled with them.

“The new ordinance may not make everyone happy, but it’s fair,” said Nancy Byrne, Boynton’s development director.

The problems started in March, when an event called the “Food Truck Connection” came to Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park.

The connection was started by Marcus Mello, and it brought up to 15 food trucks and an average of 500 visitors to the park on Wednesday evenings during its three-month run.

In June, the city shut down the event because “complaints were coming from all sides,” mainly because the city did not have a formal permit process for bringing food trucks into the city, Byrne said.

Now, under its new rules, some food truck owners say the city is charging too much for permits and creating too much red tape.

Previously, food truck events had been operating under the city’s special event permit, which cost $100 for each meetup. Now, the cost is $250 per single truck, $550 for three or more trucks, plus a $100 inspection fee.

Mello says the city’s rates are too high.

“Nowhere else charges,” Mello said. “It’s a partnership, we bring people into the city to enjoy the city and food. I don’t know what the money goes toward — the city is not providing security, cleanup or lighting.”

Find the entire article by Attiyya Anthony at sun-sentinel.com <here>