Happenings in Dallas Arts District: Food trucks slammed with more fees

By Yolonda Battle, ybattle@smu.edu 

So just when I became accustomed to seeing food trucks in the Dallas Arts District, I read this Dallas Morning News article posted on twitter explaining how the City of Dallas instituted a new fee for food truck owners and re-allocated where they can operate.

According to the City of Dallas code compliance page food truck owners pay $430 annually for required permits and licenses and an additional $100 monthly fee for a location permit.

I’m not an expert on city fees and code compliance so I appreciate the work the city does to re-assure customers that food trucks are following rules and in compliance. So I can’t complain about the fees, but making food trucks move off the streets of downtown Dallas is another thing.

Where should they go? They’re food trucks and logically they belong on the street right?

It amazes me how the city always seems to kill a good thing.

City officials have tried to revitalize downtown Dallas, but according to the Dallas Observer they never get it right.

They need to discover how to establish a culture that subsequently generates its own foot traffic throughout the area.

Over the years Dallas has introduced new, fun attractions in the Arts District like the impeccable Winspear Opera House and Nasher Sculpture Center, but these attractions only produce foot traffic at night.

After these events end or during the day and nights when there is no event the area is completely dead.

So what’s the cities answer, give the public what they want.

If the City of Dallas wants foot traffic, create a fun environment and culture that entices Dallas residents to flock downtown just as other major urban cities like New York or Chicago do year round, day and night.

Food trucks and street vendors are staples in urban cities.

The food truck craze was taking off in Dallas, just as it did years ago in Los Angeles, New York and Austin. If the City of Dallas wants to begin establishing a culture allow food trucks to line the streets as they should.