Mayor signs new food truck regulations, drawing mixed reactions from vendors

New regulations for food trucks have arrived in Milwaukee, and vendors have mixed feelings about the changes.

Flanked by Ald. Jonathan Brostoff and Ald. JoCasta Zamarripa, who drafted the legislation, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson signed the legislation into law at a ceremony in Red Arrow Park on June 14. At least eight food trucks were parked around the park during the signing.

The ordinances, which council members promoted as addressing community concerns about public safety, primarily affect food trucks downtown and around Burnham Park.

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An earlier closing time downtown 

Downtown is now a Type 1 time-limited zone for food trucks, meaning they cannot operate between the hours of 1 and 6 a.m. and have to move every six hours.

Abdallah Ismail, owner of The Fatty Patty food truck, attended the event and posed with city leaders as they signed the resolution. His food truck was also present, selling burgers on Water Street.

Ismail, whose truck is normally parked at the corner of Water Street and Juneau Ave., in the new Type 1 zone, was in favor of the legislation, though there were parts he objected to.

“In general, it's going to be good for me, less hectic and more controlled,” Ismail said.

He specifically cited the rule that allows trucks to stay in the same location for up to six hours as a boon to business, especially with an increase in online ordering. Ismail also said he appreciated giving city officials the power to address any potential bad behavior.

But requiring food trucks to close at 1 a.m. was disappointing for Ismail, who explained that on weekends he frequently made as much money from 12 to 2 a.m. as from 5 p.m. to 12 p.m.

“I will either ask for an extension for more hours to work on the weekend or open a long day, the whole day,” he said.

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Burnham Park spots will require applications

Burnham Park, located on Milwaukee’s south side, has been designated as a Type 2 density-limited zone by the legislation, meaning that only a select number of food trucks will be able to park in the area in designated spots.

Food truck vendors will have to apply for permission to park near Burnham Park, and the trucks will be selected based on seniority, explained Zamarripa, whose District 8 includes the the park.

Applications will open on June 17 and close July 1st. Zamarripa said the Milwaukee Police Department and the Department of Public Works were still reviewing the area to determine how many spots can be allotted. She did not have a definitive answer for when vendors would know about the status of their application.

“I am hoping for August 1, no later,” she said.

Alexander Lopez, co-founder of Isa’s Ice Cream, was the only food truck vendor from Burnham Park at the signing.

He described the uncertainty around the legislation as “tricky.” Lopez said that a lack of clear expectations for the vendors, as well as a language barrier, left them uncertain about what their outcome. Lopez speaks English and Spanish, and said he was often translating the news for other vendors.

He estimated that between seven and eight food trucks park in Burnham Park on an average day now. Zamarripa said that she was hoping they could grant permits to six trucks, but only four would be able to fit on Burnham Street itself.

“It’s a sacrifice for the trucks. I know they’re sad about it,” Zamparripa said. “But at the same time, they agree that there needs to be a solution. It’s just too dangerous for people driving and walking across the street.”

Despite the upcoming reduction in trucks, Lopez was planning to apply. He was hopeful that he would be able to stay, since his ice cream business provided different fare than the other trucks and brought kids and their families to the park.

Overall, Lopez was not in favor of the changes.

“To be honest there's bigger problems in the city that we need to address,” he said. “This should be at the bottom of the list.”

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Mayor signs new food truck regulations for Milwaukee