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Following the passing of a modified food truck ordinance in their last meeting, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen passed the ordinance in its final reading.

The changes made to the ordinance included taking out the need for approval for food truck grand openings, not requiring a food truck permit fees for individual events under special event permits, and that the special event organizer will be responsible to ensure the food trucks “have all required health and safety requirements,” according to the agenda.

Alderman Daniel Berry motioned to approve, and Alderman Derek Mann seconded.

“We passed an ordinance in January. Since that time, this board and our planning director and our city administrator have been spending time with residents and food truck vendors,” said Berry. “And I talked with (Planning and Codes) Director Charles Rush and City Administrator Jason Quick at the culmination of this, and we’ve taken the feedback that we got from residents and food truck vendors, and we made some adjustments to our existing ordinance.”

“It just chaps my rear a little bit, when I read some of these headlines in the newspaper,” he said. “Because this is an ordinance that makes things better. We got rid of some of the requirements that would have prevented things like Piping on the Green from happening. And would have prevented your neighborhood from having a food truck. So we took the time to listen and make amendments. I guess we missed the boat on explaining that last time somewhere, so I wanted to take the opportunity (to explain), so then hopefully when it gets out to the public, they’ll get this right this time.

The vote passed unanimously.