HARLINGEN — The opening of the city’s first food truck park awaits the city’s decision on the number of security guards it’ll require the businesses to hire during concerts in which alcohol is sold.
Earlier this week, city commissioners delayed their vote on the second and final reading of an ordinance that would set regulations allowing developers to open food truck parks close to city neighborhoods.
During a meeting, commissioners postponed action after Christian Zanca, owner of a Brownsville food truck park, questioned the city’s proposal to require the businesses to hire two security guards during live music shows in which alcohol is sold.
“Someone has to define what a concert is,” Commissioner Victor Leal said during Wednesday’s meeting. “Is it so many people per square foot?”
So City Manager Dan Serna is working to determine the criteria that will define concert events in the city’s proposed food truck ordinance.
City proposes hiring security guards
Now, Xavier Cervantes, the city’s planning director, is proposing food truck parks staging concerts in which alcohol is sold hire two security guards between the peak hours of 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
“The intent is to maintain law and order,” he told commissioners. “If there’s a concert with hundreds of people and alcoholic beverages are being sold or consumed, then there’s a potential of problems like you have in big bars, so that’s why we put that provision there.”
Developer speaks out
During the meeting’s public comment period, Zanca questioned the city’s proposal that would require food truck parks to hire two security guards during live music events in which alcohol is sold.
“I couldn’t disagree more with how this is being portrayed as some kind of big concert,” Zanca told commissioners. “It’s definitely not a concert venue, which is what it seems this is being made out as.”
“It’s a family friendly environment,” he said. “We usually have acoustic guitar players. It’s usually just a sole act and on the weekends we have a small band. Obviously, with liquor, it changes things a little bit and I understand we have to have a security guard with that but to have two security guards all the time, that’s just asking for too much. I don’t know how any business can afford that.”
“We weren’t sure why a family friendly place like a food truck park would be required to have more security than liquor bars that are dedicated to a late night drinking crowd,” he said.
Commissioner Frank Puente questioned the city’s proposal.
“Why are we having to have two security guards for a food truck park?” he asked. “It just seems a little excessive. It seems anti-business. We’re not making it easy on them — we’re making it hard.”
Food truck parks might open close to neighborhoods
Now, officials are planning to require developers to apply for special use permits before determining the distance in which food truck parks can be located from neighborhoods.
Last month, Cervantes proposed food truck parks be located at least 1,000 feet from neighborhoods.
But Zanca said food truck parks try to locate closer to neighborhoods to help them draw customers.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Richard Uribe questioned whether officials were requiring food truck parks to be located further from homes than other businesses.
What’s in the proposed ordinance
Across the country, food truck parks can mean big business.
Now, more food truck parks are popping up across the Rio Grande Valley.
Last month, Harlingen’s Planning and Zoning board proposed an ordinance which describes a food truck park as a “parcel of privately owned land where two or more mobile food trailers or concession trailers congregate on a continuous regular basis selling food or beverages to the public.”
Under the proposal, the city would restrict food truck parks to general retail or industrial zoning districts.
Inside the parks, the proposed ordinance would require food trucks to be located at least 10 feet from each other.
The proposed ordinance would also require food trucks be equipped with approved potable water hookups, sewer facilities and grease traps.
Meanwhile, workers who handle food and drinks would be required to show valid food handler’s training certificates.
The ordinance would also require food trucks selling alcohol to hire security guards during peak hours from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursdays to Saturdays.
Under a current ordinance, the city requires food trucks to provide video surveillance and adequate lighting along with approved waste receptacles.
Now, that ordinance also requires food trucks to be located at least 1,000 feet from homes and businesses such as restaurants.
