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Commission deadlocks on food‑truck park special‑use permit after large resident turnout; application moves to county commissioners
Summary
A proposed permanent food‑truck park drew heavy opposition from surrounding residents over traffic, noise, trash and drainage; the Planning & Zoning Commission split 3–3, producing no recommendation and sending the application to the Board of County Commissioners for final decision.
The Marion County Planning & Zoning Commission on Jan. 26 deadlocked on a special‑use permit for a proposed permanent food‑truck park on County Road 484 near Bellevue, and the application will proceed to the Board of County Commissioners without a recommendation.
Staff described the 2.02‑acre proposal and recommended conditions including landscaped buffers, a concrete wall, hours limits, prohibition on amplified sound and a parking formula tied to the number of food trucks. "Based on the number of food truck parks they're proposing, 24, they would have a peak hour generation of around 447," staff said and noted a petition of roughly 106 signatures in opposition.
More than a dozen residents of nearby Tropicana Village and other neighborhoods testified in opposition, citing dangerous traffic at the Highway 484/SE 47th intersection, recurring litter and vagrancy near the Dollar General, noise and concerns about drainage and sanitation. Kerry McGee, representing the Tropicana Village Homeowners Association, said residents "are vitally against this planned project," citing the community’s senior population and existing traffic problems.
Applicant Walter Pimentel said he wants to operate the site responsibly and proposed voluntary restrictions (10 a.m.–9 p.m. hours, on‑site janitors, permanent bathrooms, inverter generators and a fenced site). "I really do wanna hear what everyone has to say because I'm here to play ball the right way," Pimentel told the commission.
After debate, the commission vote resulted in a tie. County staff reminded speakers that the special‑use permit process allows revocation for noncompliance with conditions and that the applicant must still submit a traffic study and site‑plan review; if the traffic study requires off‑site improvements the project could be curtailed despite permit approval. The case will be placed on the Board of County Commissioners agenda for a final decision.
