By
- Heather Gann | hgann@al.com
Hoover Mexican food truck Taqueria Juárez announced in a post to Facebook that Monday would be its last day serving customers after it was issued a notice by city officials
The notice detailed updates to Hoover’s zoning ordinance approved by city officials at the end of June to tighten licensing and zoning rules for mobile food units and food trucks, according to a photo posted by the taqueria’s owner Jorge Juárez that was translated by AL.com
“The city updated its ordinance in June after seeing an increase in food trucks operating for extended periods in locations such as roadside areas, gas stations, and commercial parking lots,” city officials wrote in an email to AL.com Tuesday
“The updated ordinance was intended to provide clearer guidelines regarding where and under what circumstances food trucks may operate within the city.”
Under the updated ordinance, the city may permit food truck operations in three general circumstances, according to the email:
- Special events – At city-sanctioned special events, including HOA block parties, farmers’ markets, and special events held on public property.
- Office and industrial areas – At the request of a property owner or business located within an office or industrial zone, provided the host business is open and operating.
- Food truck courts – Within an approved food truck court in a commercial area that is specifically designed to accommodate food trucks, including amenities such as restrooms and public seating, and that has received conditional-use approval from the City Council.
In his post Juárez thanked customers for their support and asked the public for suggestions on a better location to establish service
Hoover officials told AL.com similar notices were provided to eight food truck operators that “had been operating in locations that did not comply with the city’s zoning ordinance.”
Efforts to find out which trucks the notices went out to were not immediately successful
There are currently no approved food truck courts operating within the city, according to the email
However, officials said they have received inquiries from individuals interested in learning about the requirements for developing one
