‘Unique dining experience’ in food trucks coming to Horry County in June

Horry County residents and tourists alike will get to experience mobile food trucks as early as June now that the Horry County Council approved the final reading of an ordinance allowing the new food options.

For 18 months, the county mulled the idea of allowing mobile food trucks to set up in various unincorporated parts of the county. The measure just about died in October when county council voted 9-3 against the pilot program.

In its place, county leaders suggested the trucks be limited to serving prepackaged food on job sites far from brick-and-mortar restaurants. Some council members worried about the food trucks siphoning business from traditional eating places. There are more than 1,800 dining establishments along the Grand Strand.

The idea was brought back in March and council approved the program, and not as a temporary program.

Changes were made to the original draft to allow for multiple food trucks on one parcel, which was music to the ears of Joe Perl, general manager of Myrtle Beach Mall.

“On behalf of Myrtle Beach Mall, I just want to show our support for not only the ordinance but also thank [council], thank staff and the [infrastructure and regulation] committee for their support in modifying and bringing this ordinance forward,” Perl said. “It’s not just for the mall, but it’s to bring a unique dining experience to Myrtle Beach and all parts of the county.”

Horry County policy currently permits mobile food vending, but it’s limited to push carts. Nothing with a motor is allowed except during special events. Once the minutes to Tuesday’s council meeting are approved, which is anticipated to happen June 2, the ordinance becomes law.

Councilmen Harold Worley and Marion Foxworth were the lone “no” votes against the program.

Council Chairman Mark Lazarus said he heard from existing restaurant owners who like the mobile food truck idea and see it as an opportunity rather than a threat.

“I actually had brick and mortar people come to me and want to use it as a marketing tool and another avenue to generate income,” Lazarus said. “I thought that was pretty ingenious. The more you look around and travel around to other cities, I don’t believe it’s going to take away from anybody.

“I think it will add to a new, unique dining experience to the Grand Strand and we’ll see how it goes.”

The county will review the program in the fall to tweak any rules that need to be adjusted to make sure it is running smoothly.

“They’ll bring it back to us and gives us a report on how it’s going and any problems that may exist, and any code violations that we’re seeing happen that we need to loosen or tighten,” Lazarus said.

This story was originally published May 19, 2015 at 7:54 PM with the headline "‘Unique dining experience’ in food trucks coming to Horry County in June."