A motion presented by the Chapel Hill Town Council this week would make it easier for food trucks to set up shop in town. The latest proposal would require vendors to operate at least 100 feet from the entrance of a restaurant. That's similar to new food truck rules that went into effect this month in Raleigh. Food trucks are allowed in Durham under the city's zoning ordinances. The Chapel Hill Chamber of Commerce says food trucks are unfair competition for restaurants. Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt says the ordinance has other provisions designed to protect other businesses.
Mark Kleinschmidt: "It may mean that some possible food truck locations are only able to be used during certain hours. And those kinds of restrictions, I think, are really only limited to the downtown area. We're just going to have to be careful how they're going to function in different parts of our community. And I think we're getting close to being able to find that balance."
Chapel Hill's ordinance would require a permit for food trucks and permission from property owners. Town Council members will revisit the proposal next month.