Food truck and restaurant owners convened on City Hall on Wednesday evening for a meeting of the Neighborhoods, Community Investments and Services Committee to discuss the impact of a 2014 bill that regulated food trucks.

The bill, 2014-472, which was proposed by City Councilman Reggie Brown, outlines necessary permits, hours of operation and boundaries for food trucks.

Tom Thornton, owner of The Bank Barbecue and Bakery on West Forsyth Street and leader of the Downtown Restaurant Association of Jacksonville, which formed earlier this year, said since the opening of The Court Urban Food Truck opened on Hogan Street at the end of February his sales have declined and he’s laid off six employees.

The Court Urban Food Park rotates four food trucks each weekday and first offered only lunch service when it opened next the SunTrust parking garage along Hogan Street. At the end of last month, they introduced dinner service on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Thornton said he has invested $1 million in his property.

"The council has to revisit this ordinance," he told City Council members at Wednesday’s meeting. "Had I known I’d be faced with this many food trucks, I could’ve bought a lot of food trucks and perhaps I should have."

Thornton added that if regulations on food trucks don’t improve, he may be forced to close his business within the next two months.

"We’ve reached a situation where the ordinance in 2014 does not address the current situation we have," he said to the council members. "Do you want Jacksonville to be a city with restaurants or do you want it to be filled with closed signs and a carnival of food trucks?"

Brittny Lowrey, manager of The Happy Grilled Cheese, which operates a food truck and is gearing up to open a brick-and-mortar location on Hogan Street, said she doesn’t want restrictions for any business owner.

"Austin and Portland both saw growth in restaurants by not restricting food trucks," she said to the committee.

Lowrey added that there’s a market difference between restaurants and food trucks, citing that food trucks have to use social media to communicate with their customers.

"We speak with our customers every day and change our menu to offer people something they’re willing to drive for," she said. "You can’t just open your doors and expect people to come in."

Lowrey added, "All of us want to see Jacksonville grow and I’m happy to be at the forefront for both sides."

Councilman Scott Wilson asked Downtown Investment Authority CEO Aundra Wallace to create a committee made up of three representatives from the food truck community and three restaurant owners to come up with an agreement for both sides.

"In 2014, no one really anticipated an urban food truck village, and there has to be a balance," Wallace said to the committee. "We need to get beyond passion to find a solution."

Wilson asked members who wish to be on the committee to send him an email detailing why they would be the best fit at swilson@coj.net.

Ann Friedman: (904) 359-4619