Food trucks are becoming more popular, and Deltona is interested in capitalizing on the trend.
As city leaders wrestle with an ordinance to regulate the growing numbers of restaurants on wheels — to the extent state law allows — Deltona is hosting gatherings of food trucks each Friday afternoon and evening at Wes Crile Park.
The first such city-sponsored food-truck gathering, an experiment to determine if it should become a regular weekly event, took place Jan. 21 at Deltona City Hall. Four food trucks set up in the parking lot and sold to hungry customers. Acting City Manager John Peters was one of the patrons.
Peters’ only complaint was that he would have liked to have had more food trucks.
“In fact, I stopped and got a hot dog, and it was good,” he said.
Despite the low number of food-dispensing vehicles on hand, Peters said he hopes the event will grow in size and numbers of people showing up for food and fellowship.
“Our intention is to continue it,” he said.
No one knows for certain how many food trucks operate in Deltona, or any other city or county, for that matter. The Occupational Freedom and Opportunity Act, passed by the Florida Legislature in 2020, tasked the state’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation to license food trucks, but also forbids localities from banning food trucks within their jurisdiction, as long the operators have the requisite state license.
The law also prohibits cities or counties from requiring food truck owners or operators to secure local occupational licenses, also known as a business-tax receipt.
So, Deltona has no firm count of how many food trucks are doing business in the city.
The state law does allow cities and counties to require food trucks to have a fire-safety inspection. Local governments may also use zoning to restrict the numbers and placement of food trucks in some areas, and may set hours of operation.
Asked if the food-truck gatherings at City Hall or Wes Crile Park may morph into a farmers’ market — something Deltona has not had for several years — Peters would not rule out the possibility of that, perhaps at Deltona’s community center.
“I would love to, and we’ve had some preliminary discussions about doing that up at The Center,” he said.
Stay tuned.
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Please get off the backs of the food truck owners. As long as they fulfill health and safety requirements, the only reason you don’t want to leave them alone is because you see an opportunity to make money from them. Surely the city is not as hard up for money as the people who are honestly cooking safe, healthy and delicious food at reasonable prices for the people of this city. Shame on you for trying to make a buck off the people who really need the buck. And no, I am neither a food truck owner nor a friend or relative of a food truck owner; just a lover of food truck food anywhere everywhere I can find it. I don’t understand why anybody has the right to regulate their hours! Do you tell Sonny’s BBQ or Chili’s what hours they can be open? This is not fair. These are good people who are trying to make a living from their great cooking. As long as they obey the health and safety regulations for the good of the public, the city should say “THANK YOU” and leave them alone.