Food trucks are already allowed in Millsboro through a special event or single day permit process, which presents a challenge for those running an every-day food truck business.
Those single day or special event permits will stay in place, and now a new permitted use will open for businesses seeking something more permanent.
Millsboro town manager Jamie Burk
“We were trying to keep it so that it wasn't always a special event when somebody wanted to have a food truck. So, we'll have both." he said.
New permits will now be available to one truck at a time on a given property. But Councilwoman Kimberley Kaan had questions.
“Is there a provision, somewhere else in the code perhaps, where if somebody wanted to have an event with multiple food trucks, they would go through the special event process?” she asked. "We don't have a "food truck" fee right now, so would this fall under business license?"
Burk clarified that those seeking to have more than one food truck on a given parcel will still be able to do so through the old "special events" permit process. He also says that the fees will be addressed as a business license moving forward, until the town has a budget hearing where they can update the fee labels.
Councilman Matthew Davis raised concerns about permanently placed food trucks competing with nearby restaurants.
"[They] are paying town taxes and everything else, compared to a food truck that is just parked there, and are just paying an annual fee to the town." he said.
Burk says there are arrangements with tenants that can prevent that from happening but did not give specifics.
Burk also specified those wanting to set up in the parking lots of large businesses will still need to seek the property owner's permission.
The Millsboro downtown area, which includes Delaware Highway 24, remains unaffected by this change since it is zoned for urban business.
Council passed the amendment in a unanimous vote.
