After nearly a year of debate, protest and public meetings, the Raleigh City Council voted 6 to 2 Tuesday to allow food trucks to operate in Raleigh.
The law comes with some restrictions and will be reviewed in six months. Councilors John Odom and Thomas Crowder voted against the measure.
“For me, it’s at this point, it’s this giant load off,” said Klausie’s Pizza owner Mike Stenke, who was at the forefront of the food truck debate. “The laws are really restrictive but I’m already getting calls from people that are trying to find ways to work with them.”
Food trucks must be 100 feet from the main entrance or outdoor dining area of a restaurant and 50 feet from a food cart. Trucks are only permitted on private property and a parking spaces must be visibly designated for them.
Like food carts, food trucks will be permitted to stay open until 3 a.m. unless they are located within 150 feet of the property line of a single-family-home or duplex. Food trucks in those areas must close by 10 p.m.
“I don’t think anyone knows what the perfect solution is,” Councilor Russ Stephenson said at the meeting. “I think it’s important that we put it out, test it, kick the tires as they say, in six months find out what we’ve learned.”
