Mayor's Office Defends Food Truck Ordinance (AUDIO)

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer's staff is defending a revised ordinance that eases rules for food truck owners.Earlier this month, the mayor's office announced the changes passed by the Metro Council, which allow mobile vendors to secure a permit for their vehicles instead of a permit for each location where they plan to set up. The revisions also cut the minimum distance trucks must be from homes or businesses in half.But some food truck owners complained online about certain provisions of the law and accused the mayor of trying to close them down. One operator took issue with the requirement that all employees must undergo a background check and have vendors' licenses.Fischer policy adviser Brando Coan drafted the ordinance. He says food truck owners are mistaken and the provisions they complained about were already on the books."I was pretty alarmed when I saw that they had tweeted out 'The sky is falling, we have to shut down our business now.' But that was a conclusion they had just came from themselves. There was no one from Metro Government that called them and said they need to shut down, there's some new rules to enforce," he says.Coan says the mayor's office is reviewing other possible changes to the law to help further.Matt Davis, owner of Lil Cheezers, which specializes in grilled cheese sandwiches, was schedule to sit down with Coan for an interview with WFPL. However, Davis cancelled after saying he felt pressure from other food truck owners and the mayor's office, who he said tried to meet with him before the interview.You can listen to the full interview with Coan below.