MIAMI, FL – Earlier today, the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners passed a new food truck ordinance by a vote of 7-1. It will affect about half the truck gatherings, including those in Kendall, Cutler Bay, and other parts of the county. Roundups in North Miami and Miami — including Wynwood — will be unaffected because they are governed by those cities’ laws.

The most important restriction: 80 percent of residents within 1,000 feet of a roundup must sign off on an event before it can be held.

County zoning and planning director Marc LaFerrier explained that four or more trucks make a roundup, permitting will take five to seven days, and permits will cost $750 per recurring event — not per week. In other words, recurring events such as Truckers Out West will pay only once annually as long as no site plan revisions are made.

Once agenda item 5(D) went to the floor, it took 54 minutes of discussion before a vote was taken. Food truck owners Jack Garabedian, Richard Hales, Oren Bass, and David Garcia spoke, as did Andrew Guild from Worth Town Propane, who said the food trucks provide him with additional business. Burger Beast’s Sef Gonzalez noted that food truck roundups are family affairs.

Several other food truck owners were present at the meeting, including Jim Heins (Latin Burger), Andrew Kaplan (CheeseMe), Brian Mullins (Ms. Cheezious), Jean Beltran (the Frita Man), Giovanni Fernandez (El Rey de la Paella), and Ramon and Maria Delgado (Grill Master Café).

The commissioners were mainly in favor of the trucks, but had some questions and concerns. Comissioner Rebeca Sosa noted that police were called to a recent roundup because of some heated arguments about traffic. She asked LaFerrier if this would create larger problems and expressed concern over who would verify the signatures of the residents and who would pay for additional police presence.

Other commissioners were onboard right away. Commissioner Lynda Bell said this just made good business sense. Barbara Jordan said she would give a favorable vote in exchange for lunch.

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