Food truck owners are welcoming the new city ordinance that will simplify food truck operation in Greenville and allow the industry to grow.
The ordinance the City Council approved last week will repeal and replace previous rules for “Mobile Food Vendor Vehicles” in order to bring Greenville up to speed with other communities when it comes to food trucks.
The biggest change is a new permit that provides a windshield decal that is valid for the calendar year.
“Our current ordinances predate the rise in the success of food trucks across the country,” the ordinance says. “Recognizing their popularity, it is important to provide a mechanism that gives reasonable structure to how they and other mobile food vendor vehicles operate in the City of Greenville.”
That is welcome news to small businesses that have been frustrated or deterred by the rules.
Previously, trucks were only allowed to park in one spot for 30 minutes and forced to wait several hours before returning to that spot. Owners also needed an individual permit for every location they chose to operate, and were banned from downtown altogether. In effect, food truck owners had been regulated under city rules for ice cream trucks until the city formulated specific rules to suit this type of business.
The new rules allow truck owners to park on public property if the spot is so designated by the city or approved as part of a special event. On private property, food trucks must remain 250 feet away from brick-and-mortar restaurants unless the restaurant owner agrees in writing to closer proximity.
Rules apply to mobile vehicles used for either food preparation, sales, or both, but not concession-style food trailers that remain in one place. Trucks are still regulated under the state Department of Health and Environmental Control.
The food truck rules also apply to mobile food markets that sell unprocessed produce.
Greenville’s food truck scene – which now has two trucks in regular operation – is poised to expand. Henry’s Smokehouse will soon be adding a food truck for events, and Mill Village Farms just launched its Good To Go mobile produce market in partnership with Loaves and Fishes in the Greater Sullivan and West Greenville communities.
