Equity of food truck rules doubted

By JUDD WEIL

Staff writer

A Marion food truck owner questioned Monday whether the city’s food truck ordinance treats similar businesses differently.

Anita Seacat, owner of Poncho’s Food Truck, told council members she had been buying $10 daily permits to operate Mondays and Saturdays at 616 E. Main St., property she owns with her husband.

“I questioned why would we have to pay $10 a day or $100 for six months for us to do business on our own property?’” Seacat said.

The ordinance, adopted Nov. 4, 2024, requires mobile food vendors to obtain either a $10 daily permit or a $100 six-month permit. It applies to vendors operating on public or private property.

Seacat argued the ordinance does not distinguish between vendors operating on their own property and vendors coming into town from elsewhere.

She questioned how the ordinance applies to businesses, such as Taco’s Food Truck at That One Place, that use mobile food units but operate from permanent locations.

Council discussions before the ordinance was adopted focused partly on fairness to restaurants with permanent buildings and expenses, Mayor Michael Powers said.

However, Powers acknowledged that Seacat had raised a valid question.

“Maybe we need to consider amending this,” he said.

Powers said he disagreed with Seacat’s interpretation but agreed that if the council intended to distinguish between different types of food businesses, the ordinance should say so.

“If that’s what we want, then we need to make it specific,” he said.

City Administrator Brian Wells later said the city would look at better distinguishing businesses that use mobile kitchens but serve customers from permanent structures from businesses that are solely mobile.