Kent residents to revisit proposed food truck ban

KENT – On Sept. 14, Kent residents will once again have the chance to weigh in on a controversial proposed ordinance that would ban food trucks across town.

The legislation was tabled during a July 29 meeting after residents said they were confused by certain provisions in the draft language. Several other proposed ordinances were approved at the meeting.

As written, the ordinance would ban commercial food truck operations anywhere in town, except when trucks are temporarily hired for short-term private or town events.

Residents took issue with how public and private events would be treated differently. Under the proposed ordinance, food trucks operating at private events would not be permitted to sell food to individual customers, while trucks brought in by the town would.

“Why is it good for here, but not good for there?” resident Mike Gawel asked during the July meeting.

Residents will have another opportunity to voice their thoughts and concerns at the Sept. 14 meeting. The idea of a food truck ban has bounced between town agencies for years, but no enforceable legislation has been adopted. Most support for such a law has come from restaurant owners, who have argued that food trucks create unfair competition because they are not subject to the property taxes and other overhead costs faced by brick-and-mortar businesses.

The current proposal follows local crepe maker Grégoire Pye’s effort to secure a semi-permanent location for his food truck business earlier this year. At the time, he said the town had been inhospitable to his business, leading him to consider leaving Kent entirely.

The public meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, with an option to attend online via Zoom. It will also include a discussion of a proposal to move the town’s Veterans Memorial from its current location outside Swift House to a new site next to Town Hall.