NEWPORT – A summer-long debate on allowing food trucks to sell on the streets of Newport was finally resolved Wednesday evening.
The Newport City Council, by a 4-3 margin, voted to pass an ordinance to grant permits to a limited number of food trucks to operate in parts of the city zoned for general business, as well as in King Park on the waterfront and Miantonomi Park in the city’s North End neighborhood. The trucks, as well as mobile food carts, are limited to those areas and may not operate within 250 feet of existing restaurants.
Trucks are also restricted in size and must fit within two on-street parking spaces. The ordinance grants permits to six food trucks and six carts. A permit is for one truck or one cart and an operator is only allowed one permit. The cost for the permit is $75 per year. Truck and cart operators must be fully licensed by the state to operate mobile food service facilities before applying for a city permit.
The issue has divided the council with some members voicing concern on behalf of brick-and-mortar restaurants who could potentially be impacted by the trucks. The city has granted permits in the past for trucks to appear at events on private property and at Fort Adams, which are now referred to as “Temporary Mass Gatherings” and require a separate permit with a $300 fee.
Reaction from the restaurant community has been slow with local restaurateurs reserving comment until the ordinance is published.
One representative of the food truck industry, Eric Weiner of Foodtrucksin.com, said the new law is, “progress to some degree” but also called the new law, “the end to food truck variety in Newport.” The ordinance does not specify categories of food served by a particular truck.
The ordinance took effect immediately.
Bruce Newbury is a PBN contributing writer.
