Columbus City Council has voted to support Mayor Andrew Ginther's executive order meant to limit gun violence in the Short North.
The Monday vote was not needed to support the executive order that forces mobile food vendors to close by midnight, but it is meant to strengthen it against any potential court challenges.
“If we don’t meet this moment, there could be even more significant pain in that we won’t have a thriving entertainment district for them to operate in,” said council member Nick Bankston.
The council vote followed a weekend of relative calmness in the Short North. That came after two straight weekends of gun violence that left one person dead and at least 10 others injured
The restrictions have received widespread pushback from mobile food vendors, who said the new hours cut into one of their busiest times.
Zach James, the president of the Central Ohio Food Truck Association and the "sheriff" of his food truck Paddy Wagon, told WOSU last week that restrictions on food trucks and carts feels "extremely reactionary and a little bit targeting" to approach public safety by eliminating small businesses.
"There is an obvious absurdity to allowing businesses to continue to serve alcohol until 2:30 in the morning but to mandate that micro businesses selling food shut down at midnight," he said.
Speaking at the Monday night council meeting, Short North resident Kareem Al said restrictions are too broad. He also said he’s not seen any evidence that gun violence is connected to food carts.
“These are life-changing decisions that you’re making. You’re asking these small businesses to trust you because you know what you’re doing, but you’ve given no support for your decision,” Ali said.
The new mobile food vendor restrictions remain in place until further notice. Ginther has also asked but not required other Short North businesses to close at midnight. Some obliged, while most bars and restaurants kept their normal hours last weekend.
Also in response to the restrictions, two Republican lawmakers in the Ohio House are creating a bill to prevent other cities from imposing those kinds of rules on businesses.
Rep. Jeff LaRe (R-Pickerington) said he believes the temporary shutdown of businesses was unfair to the owners of street carts, restaurants and bars.
“The city is picking winners and losers here. They’re not focused on the problem. Essentially, by doing this, it’s almost like they are catering to the criminals,” LaRe said. “Rather than addressing that issue, they are just trying to punish those law-abiding citizens or businesses.”
LaRe said his bill, which he’s sponsoring with Rep. DJ Swearingen (R-Huron), is still being drafted, but it would restrict cities from putting any type of curfew in place other than to restrict minors or in case of an emergency. He also said if it becomes law, the situation in Columbus wouldn’t qualify.
