Griddle and Grind food truck forced to move to Sebastian due to code violation, owner says

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• Dane Jones, owner of Griddle and Grind food truck was forced to relocate after a code-violation citation April 17.
• Jones had operated in the parking lot of OTG Liquidation on U.S. 1.
• He says he is losing $1,850 per week because of the relocation.

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The owner of a local food truck claims he has been unjustly targeted by the county Code Enforcement Department and forced to move to a new location in Sebastian.

Dane Jones — owner of Griddle and Grind — was cited April 17 for operating in the parking lot of OTG Liquidation Center, 6920 U.S. Highway 1. The location is in an unincorporated area of the county, where food trucks are prohibited except for situations.

“I am the only food truck owner to receive a citation from the county in five years,” said Jones. “I talk to other owners who are operating in the same condition, and I am the only one to receive a citation. County code does not line up with state statute, either, which supersedes the code.”

County Administrator John Titkanich confirmed that Griddle and Grind is the only truck cited in five years. The county code which governs food trucks was written in 1990, he said.

“Code enforcement is enforcing the code as written,” said Commissioner Susan Adams. “However, if code does not line up with state statutes, we need to change it.”

A representative of the Florida Department of Agriculture, which regulates food trucks, was unavailable for comment on whether state and county regulations align.

“I just want everything to be fair and equal,” said Jones. “All the food truck owners talk, and this is the first time that this has been an issue.”

Jones has since moved his truck to Sebastian, on the days he would have been at OTG, and said he is losing $1,850 per week because of the move.

Outdated code

County commissioners agreed May 6 that the county code governing food trucks should be changed. Planning and Development Services Director Chris Balter was directed to look into revisions.

But it could take three months, far too long for Jones not to be at OTG, he said.

Going forward, any food trucks violating county code will be cited, said Balter. But none has been caught.

“It’s a fair and equitable process,” Balter said.

The county currently is soliciting more food trucks.

“We want this county to be food truck-friendly,” said Commissioner Laura Moss. “If we are working with outdated rules, we need to change them.”

Jones hopes his grievance comes to a swift resolution.

“Three months is a long time. Hopefully we can work something out,” he said. “But, I am going to push through.”

Nick Slater is TCPalm’s Indian River County Watchdog reporter. You can reach him at [email protected] and 224-830-2875.