Small business owners fighting proposed changes to Louisville's food truck regulations

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Clifford Johnson serves up fried fish, mac 'n' cheese and potato salad daily out of his Down tha Bayou food truck near the Judicial Center in downtown Louisville. He used to park near the hospitals but said it just got too crowded.

Since Metro Council passed its first ordinance in 2011, which allowed food trucks to operate in the city, the business has grown from just a handful of vendors to dozens upon dozens.

"The number of businesses and residences and visitors to the central business district has grown so much over the years," Metro Councilwoman Barbara Sexton Smith said. "We have to look at what kind of changes might be necessary."

And with that growth, some say food trucks take up too many of those coveted downtown parking spots. So Metro Council's Public Works committee is proposing the creation of specific food trucks zones. The trucks would not be allowed to park in any public area outside those zones. But for vendors, that's struck a nerve.

"There are 4,800 parking spaces in downtown Louisville," said Leah Stewart, who operates a Louisville dessert truck. "We take maybe 20 a day.

"We are not hurting the city. It's really cruel to target these kinds of businesses."

At a meeting Tuesday night, food truck operators showed up in droves, holding signs and wanting some answers.

Sexton Smith compares the proposed zones to the taxi or loading zones already designated downtown.

"We are absolutely not going to take this ordinance and put it in place in a way to put anyone out of business," she said.

Metro Council isn't taking action until it gets feedback at three public hearings and online. The Louisville Food Truck Association is threatening to sue if the changes pass.

"We are the smallest of small businesses," Stewart said. "If you're coming after us, the city is probably going to come after everybody else at some point."

Metro Council is seeking public input at hearings on Oct. 16, Oct. 30 and Nov. 13. And to give feedback online, click here.