Th Atlanta City Council is considering a proposal that would allow food trucks to set up shop in more areas of the city.
The Council’s public safety committee is holding a work session and public hearing next Thursday, March 11 to discuss legislation expanding the food truck program.
The city’s current regulations for food trucks requires operators to get a permit and dictates where they can park and when they can sell food. Currently, the only public property where food trucks can operate encompasses a few streets downtown. Initial applications for food truck permits cost $145, and $125 to renew yearly.
The new legislation would allow the Department of City Planning to set up designated “food truck areas” around the city where mobile vendors can operate in the public right-of-way.
The city also said expanding the program would support local entrepreneurs, enhance the use of public spaces and allow for more food options in underserved neighborhoods.
The Council passed a resolution in October stating the city would benefit from a more streamlined approval and licensing process for food trucks that may also include a “Food Truck Village” model, in which “food-trailer parks” could be launched at different locations throughout the city.
Before next week’s public hearing, the legislation was presented to each of the city’s Neighborhood Planning Units to get feedback.
The meeting will be live streamed on the Council’s website, YouTube channel and Facebook and Twitter pages.
