ANNA MARIA – City officials have decided not to create a designated food truck zone at the northwest end of Bayfront Park, nor will there be a designated food truck area at City Pier Park.
So far, an alternative location has not been proposed.
The Anna Maria City Commission voted 5-0 on Oct. 13 to deny on second reading the adoption of a city ordinance that would have created a designated food truck zone at Bayfront Park.
The city’s efforts to create a designated food truck zone are in response to a state law enacted by the Florida Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2020. The state law preempts the regulation of food trucks and other mobile food dispensing vehicles to the state and prohibits local governments from enacting or maintaining outright bans on food trucks or requiring non-state-issued licenses, registrations, permits and fees for food truck operations.
In the past, the city of Anna Maria required food truck operators to acquire a special permit from the city, which is no longer allowed by the state.
When the creation of a designated food truck zone was first discussed on July 28, Mayor Dan Murphy said, “We’ve got to do something. The whole city is fair game until we do something.”
On Aug. 11, City Attorney Becky Vose presented the commission with the first reading of a city ordinance that proposed locating the designated food truck area at the far end of Bayfront Park, near the Hibiscus Street and North Shore Drive intersection.
During that meeting, several residents and residential property owners expressed opposition to the proposed Bayfront Park location be- cause of its proximity to several residential properties. Some suggested the food truck zone be located at City Pier Park instead, which is home to the city’s seasonal farmers market, but the City Pier Park location never garnered any serious consideration from the mayor and commission.
The Oct. 13 food truck discussion began with Murphy noting that he and the commissioners had received numerous emails expressing opposition to the proposed Bayfront Park location.
“My recommendation is to deny adoption of this ordinance and then staff can reconsider this issue and we can take a look at other options as necessary at some point in the future without a definitive date,” he told the commission.
Murphy did not mention any alternative location for the city’s designated food truck zone. During previous discussions, Vose noted some Florida cities restrict food truck operations to specific zoning designations. Anna Maria’s commercial district (C-1) and retail/office/residential (ROR) both allow for restaurant operations.
In response to Murphy’s recommendation, Commissioner Deanie Sebring made a motion to deny the adoption of the proposed food truck ordinance.
Having previously expressed their concerns in emails sent to the mayor and commissioners, potentially impacted property owners Greg Raupp and Robin Massey thanked the commission for responding to their concerns.
After thanking the commission for reconsidering the proposed ordinance, Raupp suggested doing an impact study if and when a new food truck ordinance is considered.
“I know that you guys really have a hard job. I cannot express how much I appreciate you listening. Thank you,” Massey told the commission.
In response to those comments, Commissioner Jon Crane said, “We very much appreciate hearing from the citizenry in emails and letters and coming to these meetings. It helps us perform our jobs. So, thank you.”
Sebring said she appreciated how many people voiced their opinions about the proposed food truck zone.
“I completely understand. This is the way it’s supposed to work. People actually came and voiced their opinion rather than sat home and got angry that it went through,” she said.
Commission Chair Carol Carter agreed, saying, “This was something the state said we had to make available for this type of business. We were as much taken back, initially, as all of you. We tried to work through it and we definitely need to rethink this.”
