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Morristown food‑truck owner asks council to allow Friday late‑night hours; council asks police review, tables licensing change
Summary
Kevin Varbuena of Colonial Grove asked Morristown council to extend food‑truck hours on Friday nights from 10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.; councilmembers praised the business but raised public‑safety and neighbor‑impact concerns and tabled an ordinance on itinerant‑restaurant hours pending police and community review.
Kevin Varbuena, who runs the Colonial Grove food truck with his father, told the Town Council on Oct. 8 that he would like permission to extend Friday night operating hours from 10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. “Those late night hours, as you know, are when many of the town bars are at their busiest, and we’ve first hand seen the demand for food during that time,” Varbuena said.
Varbuena said the truck has drawn visitors from across the region, helped nearby businesses and that he invested in a “quietest generator” and asks customers to keep the area clean. “We’ve been fortunate enough to gain a lot of attention this year,” he said, and added that when the truck previously operated later he did not observe noise or disorder.
Council members responded with both support for the small business and caution about public safety. Councilman Russo complimented the vendor and the crowd the truck draws; Councilwoman Lindsay said she had tried the food and supported consideration of the request. Several council members noted the current permit framework limits hours to earlier in the evening and that the change implicates licensing rules rather than a one‑off resolution.
Members pressed whether the request could be handled administratively or would require an ordinance. Officials clarified that changes to the itinerant‑restaurant license classes and hours would be enacted by ordinance and that certain timing rules mean an hour change cannot be altered on second reading; any amendment would need to be made at introduction or returned to the council after further vetting.
Multiple council members said they wanted input from the police chief, the public safety director and nearby residents before approving extended hours. One council member summarized the concern: police had “definite concerns” about very late hours because bar crowds can become unruly, and in‑street crowds late at night can increase risk.
The council subsequently tabled Ordinance O‑28‑2024 (proposed changes to itinerant restaurant licenses and restricted hours) and asked administration to bring back the item after consulting the police department and conducting neighbor outreach. The motion to table carried.
The council did not adopt a late‑night extension at the Oct. 8 meeting; members asked staff to return with recommended hours, police feedback and possible mitigations such as limited days, noise controls or other conditions.
What’s next: Ordinance O‑28‑2024 was tabled for later consideration. Council members said they want the administration to review the proposed hours with the police chief, public safety director and affected neighbors before the ordinance returns to the council for action.
