PENSACOLA, FL – The issue of mobile food trucks in downtown Pensacola has popped up again.

City Council members will vote on an ordinance Thursday night that would ban the roving eateries downtown unless an operator gets a permit during a city sponsored or co-sponsored event or a permit for having two or more mobile food trucks in the same vicinity.

The new law is proposed by Council Member Charles Bare, who said it’s modeled after St. Petersburg’s ordinance. Bare said he suggested it because of concerns about food trucks setting up shop downtown.

One restaurant owner said the city needs a law on mobile food trucks downtown so brick-and-mortar businesses aren’t affected financially.

“The amount of money we pay to be in business seven days and seven nights, (and) they come in and take it,” said Nick Zangari, owner of New York Nick’s on Palafox Place.

The mobile food trucks have been contentious. The city tried a temporary program last year that specified areas — most notably downtown — where food trucks couldn’t operate. Since that ended, there is nothing to prevent food trucks them if they are parked legally and properly licensed.

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