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Commissioners Look for Ways to Encourage Food Trucks

ACC began allowing food trucks to operate downtown two years ago, but there haven’t been many takers. Special events at county parks don’t require a permit, and those have been the most popular venues for food-truck sellers. Other times and places in parks, or a designated spot in front of City Hall on Thursday nights only, require a $515 annual permit. Only three sellers have ever applied for that permit, and only one (Chick-fil-A) currently holds one.

The food-truck ordinance came up for a scheduled review at a Legislative Review Committee meeting last week. The limitations on selling downtown were originally based on concerns from existing downtown restaurants about competition from food trucks; that’s not likely to change, although commissioners expressed concerns about how few permits have been issued. “We want to encourage it,” Commissioner Jerry NeSmith said.

Chick-fil-A is interested in selling in other downtown locations, perhaps near the Georgia Theatre. Are the permits too expensive? The manager’s office will see how much other Georgia cities charge, and the discussion will continue.

Next month, commissioners on the LRC will discuss a possible evening curfew for children under 9 years old at the request of a local NAACP chapter, according to Assistant Manager Robert Hess. The suggested curfew would require children to be home by 9 p.m. on school days unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. “We haven’t decided to do it,” Commissioner Jared Bailey told Flagpole. The proposal was assigned to committee by Mayor Nancy Denson, Commissioner Sharyn Dickerson said, after a citizen complained of seeing young children out after dark “and didn’t think it was appropriate.”

Also upcoming: When should golf carts, scooters, mopeds or Segways be allowed on streets, parks, greenways or sidewalks? In Five Points, “we have children driving golf carts with younger children and no helmets,” Commissioner Allison Wright said. Stay tuned.

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