Following the success of the Freight Train Food Truck Festival last October, the city of Tomball is looking to further capitalize on the gourmet food truck trend.
At its Jan. 3 meeting, the Tomball City Council voted to adopt a new land- use category—Mobile Food Court—that would allow business owners to create an outdoor dining area with multiple food trucks parked for an extended period of time.
The council will still require conditional use permits for any mobile food truck courts wishing to start a business in the city limits.
Order in the Food Truck Court[/caption]
“Over [the] last year or two, we’ve been approached with multiple requests for a mobile food court establishment, possibly one on the far west side of town, central and other areas as well,” Community Development Director Craig Meyers said.
Attached to one of the proposed projects are Tomball Mayor Gretchen Fagan and her husband, Mike. The couple plans to open 403 Eats, which will be located at 403 E. Main St., Tomball.
“We eat at every restaurant, and we never eat at home, so our objective is to diversify into food,” Mike Fagan said. “The food truck thing has become [a] millennial [trend]—it’s become crazy. It’s going to be a first-class place; it’s going to be run by us. It’s not going to be trashy by any stretch of the imagination.”
As a co-owner, Gretchen Fagan recused herself from discussion and voting. Mayor Pro Tem Chad Degges led the meeting during the two agenda items related to food truck courts: one that created the new land use and another that amended a city ordinance to lessen restrictions on food trucks parked in the court.
The move comes after a city ordinance adopted by the city in August banned food trucks from parking in the city for more than four hours.
Council Member Field Hudgens raised concerns about the length of time the trucks would be allowed to park at the court and how the trucks would be cleaned. However, Mike Fagan said the trucks are required to maintain health permits from Harris County, and facilities would be provided on-site to responsibly dispose of hazardous waste like used cooking oil.
“The inside container is going to be the chef’s operation—they have to abide by all the laws of the state,” Mike Fagan said. “They have to go by the same laws as a regular restaurant.”
The council ultimately approved the land use with the stipulation that trucks can only park for a maximum of six months at a time.
Gretchen said once the conditional use permit is approved, 403 Eats could be open in late April or early May.
