John Coffelt, Editor

Manchester Safety Committee during the Dec. 8 meeting discussed the currently enacted food truck ordinance to see if the committee felt any changes needed to be made to address stationary food trucks.

The ordinance mandates that food trucks must be capable of being moved, and while all of the “fixed location” food trucks in the city are still moveable, some in the city are concerned that potentially stationary food trucks could slip between the cracks with fees and permitting.

Codes Director Britany Fiske said that Duck River Electric recently notified her office that a stationary food truck had requested a power pole that would have violated the food truck ordinance requiring them to run on their own power.

Special event permits do not require individual food truck permits for multiple food vendors. However, the number of trucks at certain events is not being counted properly, according to Mayor Joey Hobbs.

He said that event permits would have maybe three food trucks listed on the permit, but on the day of the event, more are usually present.

Alderman Ryan French said that oftentimes event planners are still taking vendors up until the day of the event, while obtaining a permit is an initial step in the process.

French said the city should research the advantages and disadvantages of a fixed location food truck compared to a standard “brick-and-mortar” restaurant.   

Potentially unbuildable lots could be used for a food truck location and skirt commercial building requirements.  

He said he would be in favor of the city developing a food truck park like other cities have.

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.