Jaime Rodriquez, co-owner of  Tacos La Poblanta Food Truck, on the Eastern Promenade, Waiting on Customers, This Afternoon.

Members of Portland Rising, Maine’s First Professional Women’s Frisbee Team were Eating Tacos from the Nearby Tacos Food Truck.  The Team’s  Home Opener is Saturday, April 23, at Fitzpatrick Stadium,  Enjoying Food Truck Food Today on the Eastern Promenade.

Mr. Tuna Food Truck has Become a Permanent Fixture on the Eastern Promenade – to the Resentment of Some Residents of the Area.

Speculations over the future of food trucks on the Eastern Promenade of Munjoy HIll easily outnumbered all the trucks that were parked there today – a sunny day with wind blowing strong enough to keep some visitors away on this spring day.  Only three food trucks were on the Eastern Promenade today; Tacos la Poblanta, Wing-It and Mr. Tuna.

Jaime Rodriguez, of Tacos La Poblanta, said he has heard multiple  solutions to the issue of food trucks on Munjoy Hill.  He doesn’t know  where he will end up.  It could be on the Eastern Promenade in the Turner Street area or in the parking lot on Cutter Street. Most people this blogger met strolling along the Prom with their young families or walking their dogs were sympathetic to the food truck owners trying to earn a living and supported their presence on the Eastern Promenade.

WingIt, a new food truck on the Eastern Promenade this year is owned by Bilal Moh.  “A lot of people want to walk along the Prom and get something to eat,” Moh said.  “If the city tells me to move, I’ll move,” he said.  Moh sells burgers and fries as well.as chiken.

One of those sympathetic to the food trucks on the Prom is Ron Gan. “I don’t see a problem with the way it is now.  A food truck park is a great idea or I support them remaining where they are,” Gan said this afternoon. Years ago, Gan a real estate developer, served on a task force that wanted to develop  food truck ordinances.  The task force was  composed of a variety of stakeholders, including brick and mortar restaurants.   In less than two months, the different interests of the stakeholders were put aside to come together with consensus. on how food trucks could get together.

Gan who just returned from a trip to Washington, D.C.,  said “food trucks are everywhere.  I mean near the capitol.  It’s what people want.  Food trucks generate a lot of business.”  Gan said he was surprised to learn that the city may charge food trucks $5,000 for licenses.  That’s way beyond resonable.  $1,000. would be fair.”

Gan’s SkinnyBBQCart, that he launched back on March 1, 2010 in front of his Washington Avenue home was the forerunner of today’s food trucks.  It was not motorized and it had to be hauled from venue to venue by a truck. “I used city rules and made a cart that I could get inside,” he said this afternoon at his Washington Avenue home. His food cart business started in front of his home, expanded to Monument Square and then became popular at special events across the city. “Maine Magazine” picked Gan’s cart as one of the top 5 BBQ places in Maine. That inluded restaurants he said.

In 2013, he sold the cart to a man in Portland who wanted to use it.  Gan could not remember to whom he sold it or for how much or where it is currently located.  A resident of Portland’s east end, Ron was an enthusiastic supporter of the food truck idea before some city officials agreed with him. He moved to Portland from Chicago where food carts were popular.  He developed the Federal Street townhouses prior to his two year stint with his SkinnyBBQCart.

“I think having food trucks is a great idea.  I wish they were down in the Cutter Street parking lot because it causes traffic congestion and  pedestrian traffic.  It’s too much.  It’s become a problem,” said Anita Stewart, a 20 year resident of the Eastern Promenade.  Stewart was particularly annoyed at Mr. Tuna vehicles who are parked on the Eastern Promenade even when they are not selling any of their product.  “Their numerous vehicles are getting free parking on the Prom even when they are not selling anything at all,” she said this afternoon while working in her garden plot on North Street. Although some residents of the Eastern Promenade have complained to city hall about the stuation with food trucks in the area, causing city hall to consider alternatives, Stewart is not one of them.  “I’ve seen five of Mr. Tuna’s vehicles parked on the Eastern Promenade using it as a free parking lot.” It’s become Mr. Tuna’s parking lot.

T Smith, visiting the area from Brunswick said she could not understand what people objected to with the food trucks on the Eastern Promenade.  These are people just trying to earn a living she said.

For more  background information on, please visit post herein dated March 1, 2010.