ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando city leaders are halting efforts to potentially restrict where local food trucks can operate after business owners shared concerns about the proposal’s motive. 

What You Need To Know

  • City leaders are proposing new measures that could put restrictions on where food truck vendors can operate and generate additional fees for owners with new required permits

  • Officials decided to press pause on the proposal to allow feedback from the community before moving forward with the first reading

  • The first official reading is on April 22, with a second reading tentatively scheduled for May 13

Under the proposal, food truck owners would be required to have an additional permit, such as a “master plan” or “conditional use permit,” in areas where multiple food trucks operate.

City leaders are also proposing to create new zoning classifications, which could cost up to $2,000 and result in more fees for the owners.

The Pass-Kitchen co-owners Guillermo Herrera and Isaiah Reyes said that they often sell food in Orlando. The two also have strong concerns about the proposal and how confusing it was when city leaders discussed the measure.

“Create solutions instead of obstacles,” Herrera said. “That’s basically it because we don’t know what city council is basically implying, you know? Or what they want to do yet,” he said.

The duo said the proposal feels like the city “threw a blanket of concerns on food trucks,” and they’re hoping officials will provide more clarification about the proposed measure before making any final decisions.

Ultimately, the city board decided to delay a decision on the proposed changes until the first official reading, which is scheduled for April 22. In the meantime, officials will take feedback from food truck owners.

A second reading is tentatively scheduled for May 13.