Councilor Rahman Johnson despatched a letter to Mayor Donna Deegan asking him to not signal the meals truck prohibition ordinance
Jacksonville, Florida – the controversy surrounding a brand new ordinance permitted by the Jacksonville Metropolis Council continues.
Council members permitted the prohibition of meals vans at service stations on Tuesday evening. Some members of the meals truck neighborhood imagine that this invoice will damage them financially, and now the mayor Donna Degan is requested to not signal it.
Glenda Rivera Chung has been working the Woman Lumpia meals truck since 2021. He began cooking for folks in his neighborhood.
“They inspired me to get a meals truck and I used to be doing video, and cooking Fb Stay, and that is the way it began,” stated Chung.
Chung stated he parks his meals truck at a service station as soon as every week. Now you might be nervous about dropping that earnings with the prohibition as a substitute. “Now it is like, it is wonderful, so what do I do now? A minimum of in my state of affairs, how am I going to maintain this enterprise afloat as a result of that is 30% of my enterprise”?
The ordinance prohibits cellular meals vans from making ready and promoting meals utilizing an open flame in any property that sells gasoline or different flammable oil merchandise at 300 ft from a pump mechanism. Councilman Joe Carlucci introduced the invoice after receiving complaints from folks residing in his district. They had been involved about doable fires or explosions with meals vans that operated so near an flammable substance.
“It is simply a kind of issues by which we’ve to place safety first. And by no means we need to shut anybody, we simply need them to maneuver to a safer place,” Carlucci advised First Costa Information in an interview earlier than Tuesday’s vote.
The ordinance met with help and opposition throughout Tuesday’s assembly. Those that supported the invoice, together with Carlucci, believed it was proper for public safety. Councilor Rahman Johnson was one of many individuals who voted in opposition to the ordinance.
“It was extra pro-negocio and there wasn’t there, there. It appeared that we had been looking for an answer for an issue that didn’t exist,” stated Johnson.
Johnson believes that this ordinance disproportionately impacts folks residing in undeserved communities and minority enterprise homeowners. Nor did I imagine there have been sufficient information to help the invoice. Johnson despatched a letter to Deegan on Wednesday morning urging him to not signal it.
“I composed a letter and despatched it to the mayor asking him to not signal this as a result of I believe he sends the mistaken message to our neighborhood, the enterprise neighborhood, to our metropolis. We wish enterprise to flourish and transfer right here,” stated Johnson.
First Costa Information He knowledgeable Carlucci for a touch upon his colleague’s letter. Carlucci described the invoice “widespread sense”, writing “, the Planning Division permitted this, the Planning Fee permitted this, the Guidelines Committee permitted this, the Mild Committee permitted this, the Metropolis Council permitted this, and sure, even the hearth chief helps this modification.”
Carlucci added that his workplace obtained “zero” calls, emails or public feedback of meals truck homeowners who opposed the invoice.
Meals truck homeowners may have 90 days to adjust to this new ordinance. After 90 days, the homeowners may face a wonderful of $ 250 per day. Johnson stated they must decide which company will likely be in control of imposing this legislation.
Chung stated that he’s not in opposition to making meals vans safer, however that he desires to see extra analysis earlier than baning meals vans from service stations. She expects town to work extra carefully with the meals truck neighborhood to acquire a dedication and forestall folks from dropping enterprise.
“Give us the chance to hearken to our contribution and we are going to discover a resolution to this, how we will strengthen the security facet of the operations whereas we’re on the fuel station. I believe each events have to work collectively,” Chung stated.
A spokesman for Deegan’s workplace stated the mayor is bearing in mind all this neighborhood dialogue whereas reviewing the invoice.