Boiling Spring Lakes to consider banning food trucks at dam restoration project site

BOILING SPRING LAKES, N.C. (WECT) - The Town of Boiling Spring Lakes is considering banning food trucks from setting up at the site of an upcoming dam restoration project.

Mayor Jeff Winecoff proposed the change to keep business at local restaurants when the project begins. It would also support local businesses as new projects begin, like a new city center.

“The whole idea is your government, your local government, your mayor, your commissioners are always supposed to put the people of the town first, and keeping our businesses thriving is putting our business first,” Winecoff said.

The multi-million dollar project aims to restore dams in the town that were damaged during Hurricane Florence in 2018. Notably, Boiling Spring Lakes received $14.9 million in federal grant funds to restore four dams in town.

Winecoff brought forward the idea of placing limitations on food trucks “so that our local restaurants, many of which are struggling, do not lose out on business,” according to an agenda item for the town council’s Tuesday meeting.

“They struggled with COVID, inflation. We want to make sure it’s an even playing field for our businesses,” Winecoff said. “We have some great little restaurants here and to me, to not have them be able to compete is shameful.”

During the meeting Tuesday, council members will be presented with a proposal to ban food trucks from setting up in town except during festivals. That proposal could be presented to the Boiling Spring Lakes planning board during its Feb. 14 meeting.

The town council will not take action on the ordinance during its upcoming meeting but may schedule a public hearing on the proposed ordinance for a meeting on March 14, according to the agenda item.

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