A new ordinance under review by the Jacksonville City Council may soon put an end to a long-standing practice of food trucks operating on gas station properties. The legislation, which is scheduled for a final vote on April 8, aims to ban mobile restaurants from parking and serving customers at gas stations across the city. The reason? Safety concerns regarding the proximity of food trucks to large quantities of combustible fuel.
City Councilmember Joe Carlucci, who is spearheading the proposal, emphasized that the move is both reactive and proactive. While no major incidents have yet occurred in Jacksonville involving food trucks and gas stations, Carlucci says he’s received multiple complaints and wants to prevent a potential disaster before it happens. “We want to address this now before there is a news story that one exploded at a gas station,” he told Action News Jax. “The question would then be, why did we allow this to be set up at a gas station to begin with?”
The proposed zoning ordinance would restrict food trucks from operating on gas station lots. While the city already enforces certain zoning laws, this new measure specifically targets mobile restaurants, adding an additional layer of restriction based on location.
Naturally, food truck owners are pushing back. Businessman Ryan Cowette expressed sympathy for vendors who’ve spent years building a customer base in gas station-adjacent areas. “I feel bad for those who have a food truck in that location,” he said. Cowette explained that for many food truck owners, these locations are crucial for business, offering steady foot traffic and visibility. Forcing trucks to move may significantly impact their revenue and daily operations.
Carlucci acknowledged that no food truck-related accidents have occurred at gas stations yet in Jacksonville, but emphasized the importance of prevention over reaction. “It’s never happened in Jacksonville yet,” he said, “but that’s not a reason to wait.”
The ordinance would be enforced through the city’s zoning laws. If passed, it will become part of a growing list of changes and traffic-related regulations around Florida. For example, in nearby Manatee County, officials recently voted to end a controversial school zone speed camera program after community backlash over $100 tickets.
In addition, Miami Beach has rolled out a text alert system to notify residents before their car is towed, offering a 15-minute warning window — a move also aimed at addressing parking and safety concerns.
As Jacksonville’s food truck ban heads toward a final vote, the debate highlights the tension between safety and small business operations, and how cities across Florida are reevaluating public space use, especially around high-risk areas like gas stations.
Source:
https://www.the-sun.com/motors/13888506/gas-station-parking-ban-jacksonville-florida/
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