HOBART, IN  – The Hobart City Council continues to work on regulating food trucks in the city.

In a discussion Wednesday, talk centered about limiting them to areas where there are no existing restaurants nearby, serving employees and construction workers only, and allowing a short-term exception for a local brewpub.

No decisions were made on Wednesday.

The council began looking at enacting an ordinance regulating food trucks operating on private property after CVS invited Hungry Inc. of Chesterton to its lot at Indiana 51 and 61st Avenue one day a week a few months ago.

The parks department already regulates food trucks operating on city property during festivals, the summer market and other events.

The council was given a draft ordinance, prepared by City Attorney Anthony DeBonis, that requires food truck operators to have insurance, county health department approval and to be away from existing restaurants, among other regulations.

DeBonis penciled in that the food trucks can’t be within 200 feet from an existing restaurant, but said the actual number was up to the council.

The distance was still undecided at the end of Wednesday’s ordinance committee meeting.

“Even if they’re a block away, I would hate to see any business lost to local restaurants by someone who doesn’t pay taxes,” said Councilman Pete Mendez, D-2nd, who added most restaurants will make deliveries, solving the potential problem of no restaurants nearby.

Councilman Dave Vinzant, D-4th, said he also has concerns about the parking lot situation at the CVS with Hungry Inc.’s big red truck parked there.

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