by SEAN KIMMONS

Food hawkers selling items such as snow cones, kettle corn, hotdogs and tacos may be welcome in Kyle in the near future, city officials say.

Last week, the city council heard proposed changes to the city code on mobile and temporary food vendors after local vendors protested the current rules in April for shutting them out of town.

Interim City Manager James Earp unveiled a 22-page revision to the city code that would allow the mobile vendors to work in the city. The revision has a long checklist that vendors and property owners have to complete before receiving permits.

He said the revision is fully detailed to cover health regulations. It also reflects lessons learned from Austin, which Earp said is currently having issues with its abundance of food vendors.

“The city of Austin is having a huge headache with their mobile food vendor ordinance right now, trying to ratchet down restrictions that they wish they put in place beforehand,” he said.

Among Kyle’s restrictions, mobile food vendors, or motorized vendors, are prohibited from staying at one location for more than 15 minutes and may not connect to city utilities. Temporary food vendors cannot remain at one location for more than nine months, operate a drive-thru or have tables and chairs. Additionally, only one temporary vendor is allowed on one lot of property.

Both types of vendors would have to operate from an approved commissary.

During its meeting, councilmembers were given the opportunity to voice concerns about the proposed revision.

Worried about the city’s aesthetics and fixed businesses, Councilmember Michelle Lopez said that food trailers would inundate the city under the new ordinance.

“I continue to state that we do not need to add this,” she said.

Mayor Lucy Johnson thought food hawkers were getting an unfair deal with the numerous restrictions.

“I’m concerned that we’re treating the mobile and temporary food vendors harder than we would normal restaurants and businesses in Kyle,” she said.

For example, she said that the 15-minute rule for mobile vendors was unreasonable.

“It makes it almost impossible for them to do business,” she said.

These types of vendors are handled differently since they don’t invest in the city as much as fixed businesses do, Earp said.

Councilmember David Wilson agreed but wanted the revision to support fixed businesses selling similar items to vendors that set up nearby.

“We could knock people out of business who have made a major investment in our community,” he said. “I don’t want to run folks out of town who have competition.”

He also gave his approval on the monthly permit requirement for temporary vendors, which would help city officials keep a close eye on health violations.

“The last thing I want is for something to hit the papers about the terrible job we did because someone got really sick,” he said. “It’ll give us a bad reputation for a long time.”

Earp said that he would go back to the drawing board to retool the revision.

“I’ll write whatever you want me to write,” Earp told the council.

The revision is expected to be voted on in next week’s council meeting, city officials say.