DEARBORN, Mich. (WXYZ) — Dearborn City Council has introduced a new ordinance to tighten regulations on the thriving food truck industry in an effort to increase public safety.
The new proposed ordinance in the city of Dearborn has the food truck community on edge as they try to grapple with all the changes that could be in place by next year.
Dearborn is known as a food truck city. Located in the parking lots of gas stations, auto shops and retail stores, they're a quick way for the community to grab food on the go. But it's exactly this that motivated city council to take some action on regulations.
“We want to regulate it in a way that protects food truck operators, that cleans up our city and make sure that we don’t have a food truck everywhere — food truck in a tire shop, food truck in a dealership," Dearborn City Councilmember Kamal Alsawafy said.
The proposed ordinance is layered. It would potentially put a stop to parking food trucks in other business' parking lots, introduce noise regulations on generators, change what hours food trucks can operate and regulate trash and waste disposal. It would also add additional inspections and allow outdoor seating areas.
Food trucks may either have to operate on small lots that they lease or loan or at city parks. Location is still being worked through and was not solidified at the Dearborn City Council meeting Tuesday.
“Maybe a food truck park where we can have multiple food truck operators, electrical hookups," Alsawafy suggested.
Alsawafy along with other council members and the mayor have been meeting with dozens of food truck owners and managers recently to get their input and discuss the changes. One of those managers is Abdula Alnasiry, who has helped run the Burger Truck on the corner of Michigan and Wyoming avenues for four years.
“From what we know, it’s going to be a lot harder to operate a food truck in the city of Dearborn," he said. "It will put a lot of food truck businesses out of business.”
Alsawafy says there are no current food truck regulations in place and the city has received multiple complaints from residents and even the state on improper oil and waste disposal from some of the trucks. He says he wants the thriving food struck scene to continue in the city but in a way that's safe for everyone in the long term. Other council members seem to be in agreement.
“We’re trying to lend some clarity in terms of how to operate in a way that alleviates some of the concerns that people have had about food trucks," Dearborn City Councilmember Mustapha Hammoud said.
Alnasiry says his customers are used to his location and would consider closing up shop if he had to move, but understands the city wanting to tighten up the industry.
"If they have to clean up the city and they have to fix some things just for safety purposes, then they’re going to have to do that," Alnasiry said. “If you see all the food trucks in the city of Dearborn, it’s all young, hungry individuals who wake up at 7 in the morning and sleep at 1 in the morning, and this is our life. This is literally everything we do.”
On Tuesday, city council discussed the ordinance but did not vote. If they do approve the ordinance early next year, the new regulations wouldn't be in place until the fall of 2024.
“We're not banning all food trucks in the city of Dearborn. We’re just trying to find the right path forward," Alsawafy said.
