TYLER, Texas (KLTV) – For the past decade, the City of Longview has implemented certain regulations for food truck owners that many are seeking to change.
Food trucks are an enticing sight, drawing crowds with their vibrant designs and selling items such as tropical shaved ice or coffee.
In the City of Longview, after a decade’s worth of ordinance on specific regulations for food trucks, many are seeking changes in rules.
“Currently, if you’re going to have a food truck in the city of Longview, your commissary has to be located within the city limits,” says Michael Shirley, Director of Development Services for the City of Longview.
Which for the majority of food truck owners like Keith Dibble, who’s been in the food truck business for the past nine years, says it’s time for a change and that having a commercial kitchen outside of the city limits should be an option.
“That gives a little bit more freedom to find commissaries that are appropriate to the businesses needs,” says Dibble.
Other concerns from the current ordinance is clarifying vocabulary words such as food trucks that are ‘readily moveable’
For Jarrett Loya and his wife, who started their food truck business with Cajun food two years ago, are technically not considered a ‘readily moveable’ food truck.
“We are considered a temporary truck only through the City of Longview, but through the state of Texas we’re considered a mobile food truck,” says Loya. “So if the state of Texas says we’re good, I don’t understand why Longview won’t say we’re good.”
Under a temporary truck unit that’s not considered ‘readily moveable,’ it can only be utilized once a month, which, compared to other food trucks that can operate daily, has caused frustration to some owners.
“We live here, we pay for the water that we use, we use the city’s water, we use the city to dump our waste and they still only allow us to be here one day out of the month,” says Loya. “This is what we’re trying to do for a living and for our life and it’s kinda hard when it’s like that.”
In an effort to hear concerns from food truck owners, the City of Longview held an information session where many voiced their perspectives.
“Based on that feedback that we receive today, it’ll kind of tell us how we need to move forward,” says Shirley.
For many food truck owners, including Dibble, having an information session where all the food truck owners can meet was already a big step towards change.
“I think it’s already a win, it’s already a big change and improvement,” says Dibble. “Eager to see where things go from there, and how quickly some changes can be implemented.”
The City of Longview plans to propose changes discussed to the city council during the month of March.
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