MILWAUKEE — Changes may be on the way for Milwaukee's popular food trucks. City leaders are proposing a 1 a.m. curfew for downtown food trucks, and crowd control on the south side.
Alderperson Jonathan Brostoff and Alderwoman JoCasta Zamarripa proposed new legislation last week, regulating food trucks in Milwaukee. The legislation was discussed in a Licenses Committee meeting Tuesday and then with the Public Safety and Health Committee on Thursday.
The city's licenses committee heard people speak passionately for and against food trucks.
Brick-and-mortar store owners downtown shared a video of food trucks knocking down signs and leaving cooking oils in the street.
City leaders agreed and want food trucks to have a six-hour parking limit, and for all of downtown to have a 1 a.m. curfew for food truck owners. They also want to increase fines for people who violate this from $5 to $50 to $50 to $500.
Abdallah Ismail, owner of Fatty Patty food truck said, "It's not good! Because were making the same amount of money from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m., were making from 12 a.m. to 2 p.m."
On the south side, Alderwoman JoCasta Zamarripa wants to put a limit on the number of trucks that can gather on Burnham Street, "We're going to end up with four spots, four food trucks on Burnham."
On Tuesday afternoon we saw nine in a two-block stretch.
Food truck owner Jennifer Antunez understands the crowding issue on Burnham Street, "We have kids here playing soccer we have baseball when they cross the street it's dangerous because trucks are so close together."
She asked city leaders to take into account those who have been on this street for years like her because, "For me to have to move it's probably going to bring my business down. This is my only food truck my only income."
The next step is for the public safety committee to approve this along with the full common council. The mayor's office says if brought to his desk, he would sign it.
The licensing committee members did want to make clear, this is not a ban on food trucks, but would give council members the option to create time and density-limited zones.
The proposed ordinance, according to a news release from Brostoff and Zamarripa, would create different zone types for food trucks, and limit when they can be parked in certain areas.
Under the proposed legislation, two zones would be created: Type 1 and Type 2. In Type 1 zones, food trucks would not be able to operate between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. and would not be allowed to park in the same spot for more than six hours in a 12-hour period.
Related: Milwaukee Common Council passes temporary ban for food trucks on part of Water Street
Type 2 zones would have limitations as to how many food trucks could be parked in that zone at once. There would also be an application process for those interested in securing a parking space.
According to a news release, the legislation would also prohibit food trucks from parking within 50 feet of a restaurant without a drive-through facility. That restriction, however, could be waived with approval from the Council.
Food truck owners would also be required to provide trash cans for customers and pick up litter around their space.
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