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Petoskey may loosen rules to allow more food trucks

Petoskey News-Review
Renee Guerriero serves customers at a food truck rally in Boyne City in 2015.

Petoskey might make it easier to park a food truck in town.

Right now, food truck owners have to seek temporary permits to operate on private land in the city or as part of a public event.

Food truck owner Aaron Marx says the policy is confusing and doesn’t reflect the city’s culture.

“We’ve seen a lot of support in the community,” says Marx. “There was a recent food truck rally in the past few months, and we saw huge support. Three to four thousand people who showed up. Most other cities are now starting to adopt food truck policies, and I’m pretty excited for Petoskey to start looking at that option.”

The city’s first food truck rally in September was a fundraiser for Old Town Emmet Street Farm Market, says Planning Commissioner Betony Braddock.

“We were blown away that almost 4,000 people came,” says Braddock. “And when we surveyed the trucks, they all said they would be interested in doing another one, possibly even two next year.”

The rally led to a discussion about revisiting the city policy.

Marx says the discussions have him feeling optimistic.

“The last two meetings that I’ve been at with planning commission, the board members were very supportive,” he says. “It looks like an up and up possibility that’s going to happen.”

The planning commission has asked the city council for input on how to approach the issue.