COLUMBUS, OH – Columbus has one of the most progressive mobile food truck communities in the country.
On Wednesday, Columbus City Council will hold a public hearing on a seven-month pilot program to address some of the current limitations on food trucks, said City Councilwoman and Public Safety Chair Michelle Mills.
“Columbus has the largest and most progressive food truck community in the nation,” said Jim Ellison, of streeteatscolumbus.com.
The Food Fort assists food entrepreneurs with counseling and connects them to resources.
Thang Nguyen owns a food cart and restaurant and said he would like to expand his mobile vendor business.
“Like everything else, you need the right products, right price and the biggest thing is the right location,” Nguyen said.
Whether it is a mobile truck food vendor or cart vendor, the same theme was heard over and over: more and better locations.
“The aim for every one of us is to allow us to find a place to settle in,” said Yosra Elgamal, who earned a Ph. D. in nutrition from OSU.
She said she and her husband Amr rebuild their food truck Dr. Mom’s Tasty Bites and put it on the street in January.
“I think with the new regulations, people will feel much more comfortable and have more confidence in this rolling restaurant,” she said.
Dr. Mom’s was tucked away in a parking lot on West Rich Street on Monday.
“Technically, we don’t really have laws that govern this new industry, and it needs it,” said Mills.
One rule that should change is that until the pilot program, mobile food vendors were not allowed to park on public property. Now, the city will allow parking at designated oversized metered and un-metered parking spots.
But, the parking spots will be first come, first served, and the public can park there.
Brian Reed, President of the Ohio Food Truck Association said, “Owners appreciate what the city is doing, but we are concerned the 18 unreserved parking spots will create an amazing amount of competition. Plus he said, how do you tell customers where you’ll be parked?”
Find the entire article by Rick Reitzel at nbc4i.com <here>
