Milwaukee implements a new food truck zone on Capitol Drive; seeks feedback from operators

The city of Milwaukee has created a density-limited food truck zone on West Capitol Drive, limiting the number of food trucks that can operate in the area.

The regulated space runs along West Capitol Drive from North 76th Street to the city limit at North Mayfair Road.

The city announced the new zone and requirement for vendors to apply on May 2.

“The new density-limited zone addresses parking issues, obstructed vision for motorists, and cleanliness issues, and I strongly encourage vendors to apply today to do business along this key stretch of West Capitol Drive,” Ald. Lamont Westmoreland, whose district the zone is in, said in a news release.

The Department of Public Works and Milwaukee Police Department are working to establish how many spots will be available in the area and where those spots will be.

Food truck proprietors will be given spaces in order of seniority, which will be determined by itineraries that vendors have had to submit to the city for the last 10 to 12 years.

The new zone joins a section of West Burnham Street near Burnham Park which was the first, and so far the only, area in the city that has implemented a similar density-limited zone since the city first passed food truck regulations last year.

The other zone the legislation created was a time-limited zone, which was implemented in all of downtown and the entertainment district. Trucks there can serve on a first-come, first-served basis, not exceeding six hours in a 12-hour period, and cannot sell food between 1 and 6 a.m.

Other previous legislation had banned food trucks on blocks around the city, including a portion of West Capitol Drive boarding the new zone and east of North 76th Street to West Fond du Lac Avenue.

More: 10 Milwaukee-area restaurants that started as food trucks

City seeks food truck operator feedback

During the May 7 Licenses Committee meeting, Ald. and Committee Chair JoCasta Zamarripa announced the city would host a meeting for food truck vendors to give their feedback now that the new food trucks ordinances have been in place for a year.

The meeting will be held at 1 p.m. May 22 at Zocalo Food Truck Park, 636 S. 6th St.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee food trucks will now be limited on Capitol Drive near Tosa