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Food Trucks Get Fresh Parking Spots From Rahm

By Ted Cox | May 8, 2013 2:45pm | Updated on May 9, 2013 9:59am
 People line up Wednesday for food trucks at Cityfront Plaza.
People line up Wednesday for food trucks at Cityfront Plaza.
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DNAinfo/Angela Myers

CITY HALL — Addressing criticism of his food truck program, the mayor is proposing nine new parking locations for the trucks for a total of 30 citywide.

At Wednesday's City Council meeting, Mayor Rahm Emanuel proposed the new spaces set aside for food trucks in "high-density neighborhoods," including a couple in The Loop.

Food trucks and their fans have been highly critical of the ordinance passed last year that demands they park 200 feet away from any established restaurants, which greatly limits their options.

The nine new locations set aside for food trucks include one outside the Chicago Board of Trade at 150 W. Van Buren St. and another at Columbia College, 65 E. Harrison St.

Others include Whitney Young High School, Malcolm X College and Mary Bartelme Park on the West Side; Lincoln Park, the Red Line Sheridan "L" stop and 3628 N. Broadway on the North Side; and 825 S. Canal St. in the South Loop.

Emanuel said the new sites were intended to "foster this growing industry."

The Emanuel administration has come under criticism for hindering food trucks in the past. Only six have been licensed to cook onboard, none before this year, and they face higher fees to take part in Taste of Chicago.