Update: The Hillsborough Town Board unanimously passed the food truck ordinance last night, The Daily Tar Heel is reporting. Potential vendors can apply beginning Jan. 1.
Original post:
Hillsborough is considering allowing food trucks within its town limits, but you may not see the stoves on wheels in the heart of downtown.
The Hillsborough Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the issue tonight at 7 p.m. in the Town Barn, 101 E. Orange St.
Under the draft ordinance, the town could issue up to 10 active food permits; qualified applicants would receive the permits on a first-come, first-served basis.
However, most of downtown Hillsborough would be off-limits; under the proposal, no trucks would be allowed in the historic overlay zoning district: Churton Street from the Eno River north to Corbin Street, and from Nash Street east of Cameron Street to the town limits in the area north of St. Mary’s Road.
Other proposed regulations include:
• Vendors could operate from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on private property with written permission from the property owners. The property could not be zoned for residential uses. Only one vendor would be allowed on a parcel at one time.
• There would be no customer seating at the food truck, which would be required to be at least 10 feet from the nearest building.
The proposed ordinance makes no change to how mobile vendors are allowed at special events like Hog Days or Last Fridays, and the hearing is not required for the ordinance to be enacted.
Read the ordinance at the town government website.
