A new ordinance has left a local food truck owner unsure of his future in Muncie, the Village and downtown areas.
The Muncie City Council passed an ordinance unanimously on Monday that would prohibit food vendors from operating within 150 feet, or about half a block, of an established food service business during business hours.
Bob Mattax, owner of Slop on Top food truck, said he doesn’t know what will happen to his business, especially during this time of the year.
“We’re currently in the off-season, it’s really hard to run a food truck when it’s cold out. We’ll just have to evaluate things when spring rolls around,” Mattax said. “Honestly there’s a good chance that we’ll have to find another place to operate because this ruling will be pretty prohibitive.”
According to City Council Member Linda Gregory, the ordinance was proposed because of complaints from Village restaurants about food vendors taking their business. She pointed out that established businesses pay property taxes and provide upkeep for the sidewalks as well as restrooms for the public; street vendors do not.
However, Gregory said in hindsight she regrets voting in favor of the law.
“I’m not sure it’s a good thing … I think having street vendors, at least during the summer months when people are out walking around, it adds a kind of ambience that you don’t have otherwise,” Gregory said. “I’m in favor of the little guy and free enterprise and all that kind of thing … at this point I think if I had it to do over I would probably vote against it.”
Mattax said he was disappointed the businesses that were threatened by his truck didn’t approach him with their concerns, but instead went to the council. He said he has tried to cultivate good relationships with local restaurants and that no complaints have ever been brought to his or his employees’ attentions.
“That’s the hardest part, that I’ve been real nice and I’ve tried very hard to make sure that I’m friends with everyone, talking to code enforcement and the health department and other businesses and making sure that I wasn’t making anyone upset, and apparently that’s not true,” Mattax said.
Mattax said during the three years that Slop on Top has been in business, he’s realized that Muncie isn’t very food truck-friendly.
“Between not being able to be on [Ball State’s] campus and now not being able to be in the Village or Downtown during prime serving time, I think it’s going to be a killer,” Mattax said. “[It] pretty much makes it difficult to make it work. I think Muncie and food trucks have a bleak future."
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