Royal City food truck ordinance under review, revision

ROYAL CITY — A vote is expected sometime in late October or during November on revisions to Royal City’s food truck ordinance. Royal City Mayor Michael Christensen said City Council members plan to ask residents for their opinions once there’s a final draft. 

“I think we’ll have at least one more revision,” Christensen said.  

The existing ordinance establishes distance guidelines, prohibiting a food truck from operating within a designated distance of a restaurant serving the same food. Christensen said there were two problems with that. 

“Our main street is not that big,” Christensen said, which limited the area where food trucks could operate. In addition, restaurants that operate in a building don’t have any restrictions, so two brick-and-mortar restaurants can operate next to each other and offer the same menu.  

Christensen council members want to remove the restrictions. 

“In a free market, it should be a matter of what’s available and what people want to offer,” he said. 

About four or five food trucks operate regularly in Royal City, he said.  

Some restrictions would remain in place; events on city property would still have restrictions, as well as schools in session.  

Food truck ordinances prompted a lot of debate over the spring and summer, and Christensen said council members want to hear from Royal City residents. 

“We certainly want everybody’s input,” he said.