CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cleveland City Council approved legislation Monday that would allow food trucks and food carts to operate downtown and in Cleveland neighborhoods.

Food truck owners had anxiously awaited passage of the ordinance so they could begin operating. The legislation moved quickly through council after Chris Hodgson, owner of Dim and Den Sum, used social media sites to fire up his fans to call for quick passage.

Hodgson was not available for comment Monday.

Izzy Schachner, owner of a food truck called Streat Mobile Bistro, said that if Mayor Frank Jackson signs the legislation on Wednesday, he would be operating somewhere downtown on Thursday.

“Once everyone got a little fire under their butts, the councilmen did a phenomenal job of getting it through the committees very quickly,” Schachner said.

The legislation establishes a six-month trial period for food carts. Council will look at how well the new law worked and possibly revise it after the trial period ends Nov. 28.

Food carts or trucks will be allowed to set up in designated zones that include much of East Ninth Street downtown, North Coast Harbor, two quadrants on Public Square, Willard Park by City Hall, Perk Plaza and an area near Cleveland State University.

The city has identified areas in other Cleveland neighborhoods where trucks and carts can operate if owners receive a council member’s permission.

One significant change from the early legislation is to broaden the hours that food trucks and carts can stay open. Originally, they could operate from 7 a.m. until midnight. Truck owners lobbied for later hours so that trucks could service the bar crowds. Under the ordinance approved Monday, they can now operate from 6 a.m. until 3 a.m.

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