County regulates food trucks

Food trucks parking on private drives and making sales along busy thoroughfares was a topic during a county supervisors’ meeting in December.

Also, a bid for concessions at the Marshall County Fairgrounds was opened and discussed.

District 3 supervisor Keith Taylor said people are letting food trucks set up in their yards, but they should have to be on a commercially-zoned property. They are setting up in private yards to get around it, he said.

He opposes allowing food trucks to set up in a subdivision.

“They need to be set up in a parking lot off the road,” said Zoning director Ken Jones.

Taylor said neighbors are objecting to trucks.

“Plus, there is no tax,” said Ronnie Joe Bennett, District 5 supervisor.

The board then passed a motion to require food trucks to set up on commercial- or industrial-zoned properties.

Jones said there are no ordinances on food trucks, which are regulated or licensed by the state.

“We need to say they can be put on county property,” Bennett said.

That caveat would allow food trucks on the county fairgrounds property. A single bid was opened. Moody’s Deep South Creations, from Deer Creek Road in Byhalia, offered to pay $100 per event to set up on the fairgrounds.

But the renter of the facility has the option to request concessions.

Bennett worried that it would not be fair for someone to rent concessions at the fairgrounds for an event that drew 10,000 people.

“That would give them too much without paying (for it),” Bennett said.

The board then passed a motion setting the price the county should be paid by a concessions stand at $100 per event.

The motion allows the person renting the facility to decide who to give the concessions to as long as the vendor pays $100 per event. Concessions must be insured.

The board later approved four employees to have keys to the fairgrounds when someone needs in.

In other Zoning concerns, Jones presented the situation of a daughter who owns a mobile home that is a wreck, while her mother owns the property.

Jones said the trailer is falling apart and is unlivable.

District 1 supervisor Charles Terry said the trailer should be cleaned up.

Jones said the trailer has no utilities and is wide open to the weather.

Terry was concerned that the cleanup order would place the lot owner under a hardship.

He made a motion to table the matter until more facts could be gathered.

In another matter, a property owner sought approval to subdivide the property and create eight residential lots on land zoned commercial. Only one person out of 27 showed any concern, Jones said. The Zoning board unanimously approved the lots but homes must be built on the lots.

In another zoning matter, neighbors are complaining about German shepherds barking during the night next door while the owner of the dogs says she does not operate a kennel, Taylor said.

Jones said deputies went out twice last year to respond to a complaint of the dogs escaping and attacking neighbors’ dogs.

Jones said there is a nuisance ordinance but no noise ordinance on the books where animals are concerned.

Attorney Kent Smith said the neighbors have a legitimate concern.

Taylor continued.

“I get a call every week about loud music from a subdivision,” he said. “We need to come up with something to stop them from playing loud music.”

“Dogs barking at 1 or 2 a.m., it’s a nuisance,” Terry said.

Bennett worried people would be complaining about noisy trucks in the industrial parks.

“That’s something that can get pretty messy about noise,” said District 4 supervisor George Zinn III. “A guy complained about a man cranking his truck.”

Taylor said a complaint was made about a person pressure-washing his big trucks in a subdivision.