City councillors appear to be losing their appetite for allowing food trucks on London streets.

“For me there are way too many questions that have not been answered,” says Coun. Bill Armstrong.

On Monday, the protective services committee recommended giving food trucks the go-ahead, but with tighter rules than originally proposed.

Some of the recommended changes include:

  • Reducing the number of food truck licenses from 12 to eight
  • Doubling the licence fee to more than $2,800
  • Banning the trucks from parking on Richmond Row
  • Increasing the minimum distance from a restaurant to 50 metres

The final word on food trucks and the proposed rules will come at Tuesday night’s city council meeting.

The changes were meant to address the concerns of restaurant owners, but opponents say it does little to ease their fears. 

This issue is certainly prompting a lot of emotional reaction, especially with downtown restaurants worried about their future.

They've been circulating a petition calling on council to reject the food truck proposal.

Dennis Winkler, owner of Wink’s Eatery, says his family operation pays $10,000 a year in rent and taxes for the privilege of operating on Richmond Row.

He estimates food trucks could take as much as $4 million out of the local economy.

“When you start looking at (those) kind of dollars…it’s mindboggling. After the winter that we’ve had, this is basically a kick in the head.”

The petition calls on council to turn down food trucks in public parking spaces.

Chil Frozen Yogurt operator Kevin Wu has collected 300 signatures.

They've found an unlikely ally in Shmuel Farhi, whose Queens Avenue parking lot is the site of an existing food truck.

He has written a letter to Mayor Joe Fontana expressing concerns.

"...many restaurants...are already struggling to survive in competition with each other, never mind tax-free, rolling, fast food dispensers," it reads.

"It is plainly unfair to ask the restaurant operator to effectively subsidize the food truck operator….”

Coun. Joe Swan says there is room for food trucks in London – in the right location.

They shouldn’t be located next to existing businesses paying property taxes.”

He suggested places such as Fanshawe Park or the Forks of the Thames, might be good locations.

Council has a chance to chew on the food truck issue Tuesday night.