Myrtle Beach continues talk over food trucks, confining them to private properties

Food trucks are getting closer to becoming a reality for Myrtle Beach’s hungry.

In a workshop Tuesday, city planning commissioners discussed what they want to see in an official ordinance, which they hope to have completed in the next couple of weeks.

One of the biggest points of discussion was whether to allow the trucks on public streets or confine them to private property.

Commissioners showed favor in allowing trucks in the city but do not want them to be able to freely roam the streets.

“Its time has come,” said City Planning Director Carol Coleman. “I think it’s a proven business model.”

Coleman is in the process of writing an official ordinance that would allow them in the city–with a catch.

“Right now we’re more comfortable with limiting it to private property,” she said.

Which means the trucks could not pull up and park wherever they want.

Coleman said this is for safety reasons.

“People may be trying to park or people are around the trucks,” she said Tuesday. “So there’s a little bit of interaction with that that I’m slightly uncomfortable with.”

Whether on public or private property, one restaurant worker said she just wants them in the city.

“Bring them on,” said Becky Billingsley.

She works for BondFire group that owns multiple restaurants around the city and advocated for the trucks in front of the commission during Tuesday’s meeting.

She said she doesn’t think trucks would negatively affect brick and mortars, like the ones she works for.

“The more traffic there is downtown, foot traffic, the busier our restaurants and all of the surrounding business are,” she told News13 after the meeting.

Coleman said there would still be the opportunity for food trucks to operate in public space under special events, like the spring food truck festival.

No formal locations for the trucks have been established, but Coleman said she anticipates they would make use of parking lots or vacant properties in a “corral” type fashion.

She said she hopes to have the ordinance finished in time for the next public hearing on August 15.