Temple Univ. Asks City Council To Help Rein In Food Truck Mayhem on Campus
By Steve Tawa
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadephia City Council is trying to help Temple University put some controls into the food truck vending industry on its North Philadelphia campus.
The university is asking Council to create a "Temple Vending District," ensuring that students have an opportunity to make purchases at the burgeoning food truck scene, but not to the point of choking off pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
The game plan, now being discussed in a City Council committee, would allow for a maximum of 50 food truck and cart vendors in the control zone. A 2014 tally by the city's Department of Licenses and Inspections found 38 trucks and 10 food carts on campus.
Veronica Apostolopoulos (at left in photo), who runs the "Creperie" truck, wants clarification on who makes the cut.
"I'm scared they might throw me out," she said today. Her truck has been on campus for 14 years; she has owned it for two.
And Kristen Mills, of "Cloud Coffee," says the many food vendors on campus serve a variety of clientele, and she hopes to stay put.
"I hope we get to keep serving coffee to everyone," she said.
Beverly Coleman, Temple's assistant vice president for community relations (second from left), thinks the best approach is a seniority system.
"And we are committed to working with the vendors to make sure that they can stay at Temple. We don't want to displace anyone," she said.
Then, if a vending spot is vacated, it goes into a lottery, according to L&I's Ralph DiPietro (third from left).
"If that's your number, you're awarded that particular spot," he explained. Food vendors would not be permitted to migrate to a different spot on campus; they would be assigned a particular location with their vending license.
The area involved runs from 10th Street to 16th Street, and Diamond to Oxford Streets.