KANSAS CITY, Kan. — More than a dozen Kansas City, Kansas, food truck operators and their families packed the room at a Unified Government committee meeting Monday evening.
Many spoke to UG staff and held signs that said "Please let us work, we depend on you to keep Kansas City growing."
This is after many food truck operators at Central Avenue and N. 18th Street in KCK were recently forced to close early after recent enforcement by the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas.
The UG's Neighborhood and Community Development Standing Committee met Monday to talk about proposed changes.
At the meeting, proposed updates to the ordinances surrounding mobile food truck vending came from Unified Government Mayor Tyrone Garner's office.
Garner’s office suggested changing the hours of operation of food trucks from closing at 7 p.m. on weekdays and 8 p.m. on weekends to instead extending the hours of operation from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Currently in Wyandotte County bars are ordered to close at 2 a.m.
KSHB 41's Megan Abundis previously spoke with Louise Lynch, a supporter of the food truck operators.
Lynch said she and some vendors are "very pleased with the hours offered and they will accept them."
Another proposed update from Garner's office was that mobile vending vehicles could park at one site for eight hours — currently, it's four hours.
Other proposed revisions put forward were to allow mobile vendors to park at public parks regardless of zoning. Currently, UG parks are not zoned for food truck operators legally.
Garner's office also suggested proposing an update so that a mobile vendor cannot operate 100 feet from the front door of a food establishment unless invited.
UG staff said there were concerns about illegal dumping and noise disturbances from food trucks.
A recommendation from UG staff was put forward to revise the fines and fees for illegal dumping, increasing it from a Class B misdemeanor to a Class A misdemeanor.
Currently, the UG has a ban so that non-vehicular music is not to be "plainly audible 50 feet from the operator in a public space or right of way between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m."
Staff spoke about a possible recommendation banning any noise-amplified devices for mobile vendors, a ban on parking in a fire lane, or an electrical vehicle charging station.
UG Commissioner Christian Ramirez, who represents District 3, vowed to keep the community included in the talks and that "the proposed changes would be fair for everybody.”
No action was taken at the meeting.
Proposed changes could come from the city planning commission and then be voted on by the full commission at a later date.
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