Dallas City Council votes to loosen food truck restrictions
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The Dallas City Council voted this week to loosen the restrictions and lower the fees for mobile food units such as food trucks.
Some of the regulations included not being able to prepare raw fish or poultry and the vendors having to go to a commissary each day.
"Will do really well for me, it will probably lower my annual fees. I have had to have a variance to be able to have raw chicken, because that's against the rules so every year I have to get a variance I wont have to do that anymore," said Patrick Gibbons, owner of the OFC Truck.
Krista Nightengale, executive director of the Better Block spearheaded this effort after learning of the obstacles the city had in place for food vendors.
"The goal was simply to remove or reduce barriers to operators," said Nightengale.
This could allow food vendors to be in what's called "Food Truck Zones" in places such as Pacific Park Plaza or Kiest Park in Oak Cliff, thereby increasing the diversity of food choices you can eat.
"For the operators, we're hoping this gives more opportunity and it opens it up to people all over the city of Dallas to test out their ideas," added Nightengale.
"It's going to expand the locations, food trucks are going to be in more places, and it's going to increase the consumer base," added Gibbons.
The Dallas city council will revisit this ordinance in one year to see if there should be any modifications.
