Aiming to protect Saugerties restaurants against an influx of food trucks this summer, village trustees have introduced a law regulating where these vehicles or pushcarts can be located.
“We don’t want these rampant through the village,” Mayor William Murphy said. “We want to make sure there is no competition with village restaurants, because they pay property taxes and the trucks and carts don’t.”
Speaking at the April 15 meeting, Murphy noted that last year the board adopted a moratorium on the trucks following several requests. At the time only one truck was permitted to park in the downtown area of the village, in the parking lot of Speedy Mart at the intersection of Main and Market streets. A second truck was allowed in a parking lot on Route 212. Both trucks would be permitted this year as well; “grandfathered in,” said Murphy. No other trucks would be allowed in the village center. Other trucks would be relegated to the village outskirts. The law would allow only one food truck or cart on a lot of .5 acre or less; no more than two food trucks or carts on lots between .5 acre and one acre; and no more than three trucks or carts on lots of more than one acre. They would not be allowed within 100 feet from the main entrance to any restaurant or 50 feet from another permitted truck/cart.
A permit would be required, which would cost $250 per year. Operating without a permit would be punished by a $1,000 fine. Hours of operation are limited to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; if within 150 feet of a dwelling, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
A public hearing on the measure will be held at the May 6 meeting at 5 p.m. at Village Hall, 43 Partition St.
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