Riverside trustees debate rules for food trucks; direct staff to draft separate special-event and business permits

Riverside, Ill. — The Village of Riverside Board of Trustees on April 3 directed staff to draft separate rules for food trucks that distinguish occasional, special‑event appearances from food‑truck businesses operating regularly on private commercial lots.

Assistant Village Manager Ashley Monroe told trustees staff had consulted the Riverside Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Development Commission and several downtown restaurant owners and found mixed opinions about food trucks. Monroe said staff’s starting proposal was a $30 per‑event fee for food trucks at permitted special events, with the option to bundle multiple appearances under a single application (she suggested up to 12 appearances as a discussion point). "Ice cream trucks are currently in our ordinances as prohibited vehicles. So, we can't have a roaming ice cream vendor in a vehicle…