FORT SMITH (KFSM) – You could soon be seeing food trucks open for business in the Fort Smith area.
The Planning Commission is meeting with the public and food truck owners today (Mon. Feb. 23) to hear their thoughts.
The city says they’d like to see food trucks around town, but only if the public agrees. Fort Smith city leaders say there is a lot of interest in the economic development behind food trucks. Especially after seeing the benefits brought in by food trucks in Fayetteville.
Food trucks in Fayetteville are staying busy year round. This coming after the Fayetteville City Council passed a new Mobile Vendor Ordinance in March of 2014. This allows businesses to operate food trucks in public areas.
5NEWS caught up with Fayetteville food truck vendor Ann Harris, owner of Zuppa Zuppa Soup Kitchen. Harris says, “People like the novelty if it, and it also depends on how organized it is among the trailers. Some businesses can stand alone, but it’s also nice in a way to feed off each other.”
In Fort Smith, city leaders believe the food trucks would bring more small business opportunities to the area. Fort Smith City Administrator, Wally Bailey says, “I think we have a lot of citizens that have traveled and seen the food trucks in communities, and how nice that is and how well it can be done, and why can’t we do that in Fort Smith? So, I think maybe things might be different this time.”
Today’s public input meeting will be at 11:30a.m. at the Creekmore Park Community Center. The future of the food trucks will also be brought up at the Fort Smith Board of Directors meeting tomorrow.
