St Augustine Beach stalls again on food trucks

Anyone expecting a fast dining option at St Augustine Beach to be settled on second reading at last night’s city commission meeting is disappointed this morning after the continued drumbeat of competing restaurateurs has resulted in the proposed enabling ordinance for food trucks to be ordered back to City Attorney Doug Burnett for revision.

The owners of one beachside restaurant joined three others to contend that allowing food trucks is unfair to the 35 restaurants in St. Augustine Beach that have restrictions on color scheme, pest control and parking requirements.

“People are trying to survive here,” pled Rick Worley, who with Gloria Worley owns Mango Mango’s restaurant. Those who spoke in favor of food trucks do not compete against sit-down restaurants. They say food trucks would create a fast-food option for families visiting the beach. Food truck petitioners Brendon Schneck and Kelly Hazouri, each said that the proposed 90-foot distance limits between trucks are not realistic.

When the ordinance comes back up, it will provide authority to license a total of six (6) food trucks to operate within the city limits of St Augustine Beach on land that fronts beach property during a “pilot program” through September 14, 2015.

Changes that will be incorporated in the next version, which could be heard next month, provide that the hours of operation for food trucks would be 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. — with an extension until 11:00 p.m. if the food truck does not use a mechanical electric generator.

Operators will be responsible to provide proof of $50,000 in liability insurance.

On the commission, Vice-Mayor Rich O’Brien said having food trucks was “not a plus”. He also suggested that the trucks be required to be moved each day. Commissioner Gary Snodgrass said, “This has to be done very carefully.” Commissioner Undine George said she does not like “the look” of food trucks.

Mayor Andrea Samuels said they would “monitor this very closely” and reiterated that the ordinance has a “Sunset Clause” allowing them to stop the pilot program at any time if there are problems.