Aventura, FL Food Truck Ban

The Institute for Justice (IJ) sent a letter to officials urging them to end a ban on food trucks similar to the one enacted in nearby Miami Gardens, FL.

In 2020, the Florida Legislature passed a law forbidding local governments from prohibiting food trucks “from operating within the entirety of the entity’s jurisdiction.” Aventura’s zoning code contains a “catch-all” provision declaring that anything not expressly authorized is prohibited. Because food trucks are not authorized anywhere in the code, they are effectively banned everywhere in the city unless tied to a temporary special-event permit.

Worse, a city official told one food truck operator that Aventura defies the state’s food truck law to protect restaurants from competition. But IJ research has found that more food trucks today do not lead to fewer restaurants tomorrow. Instead, trucks draw foot traffic that benefits neighboring businesses, and they are even associated with safer streets.