COLUMBUS, Ohio — The midnight food truck ban in the Short North has been lifted and owners say they are thrilled to work later into the night.
The main focus of the safety restrictions was focusing on increased enforcement and police presence to make the district a safer place for everyone following multiple shootings back in May.
“We always knew it was going to be a temporary approach. We knew we had to do some unprecedented things after two violent weekends in the Short North,” Mayor Andrew Ginther said.
Ginther said the city will continue to put more officers on the street and purchase additional mobile cameras and lighting to move around the city to help fight crime in neighborhoods beyond the Short North.
Food cart owner Adam Wallace of Adam's Eden Food Truck serves up a mean lamb gyro and bourbon chicken, but work has been limited for the last three weekends in Short North due to the midnight ban on food trucks.
"My workers are happy that we back to work this weekend," Wallace said. "I'm glad to hear it and there are a lot of vendors that were glad to hear it as well."
Wallace said he hopes to see some safety measures remain - like the increased policing late at night.
“Having the cameras out there, having the police presence is the way it was, I think those are probably the things that hadn't been there prior so hopefully that stays the way it is maybe not as many plays and helicopters but just to have a visible presence will make a big difference,” Wallace said.
“Certainly we are looking forward to letting small businesses get back to work to thrive within the Short North. They're what add to the elements of a great entertainment district. They're not the cause of crime. So we know that, you know, we wanted to get them back as soon as possible,” Councilmember Emmanual Remy.
City Attorney Zach Klein said he will serve as a liaison for any businesses who have concerns to get the support they need with an open-door policy.
“I think it's important as city leaders that we get the message out that we don't come down to the Short North come downtown and visit just like we want to encourage folks to visit and patronize businesses all across the city of Columbus,” Klein said.