INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. — A local food truck owner says he’s out thousands of dollars after Indian River County forced him to stop operating in a location he had used for months without issue.
Dane Jones, owner of Griddle & Grind, had been setting up his mobile café twice a week in the parking lot of OTG Liquidation to attract customers to both businesses. But two weeks ago, that partnership came to a halt after the county issued OTG a code violation.
WATCH: Two business owners frustrated over code violation
“It means a lot to me,” Jones said. “It cost almost $100,000 to get it going.”
The violation cited OTG for flying unauthorized flags and for allowing a food truck to operate in an area not zoned for it, according to county code.
To avoid daily fines, Jones says he pulled out immediately.
“For this week alone, we lost $5,000,” he said.
Indian River County officials say their ordinance regulating food truck locations has been in place since 1990 and limits mobile vendors to certain areas. Food trucks are prohibited in unincorporated parts of the county.
Still, Jones and his partner Stephanie Smith, the owner of OTG, question why enforcement is only happening now — after months of trouble-free operation. They also pointed out other food trucks continue operating in similar zones without receiving violations.
“We just wanted to support local vendors,” Smith said. “And now we’re the ones being punished.”
A county spokesperson tells WPTV the violation issued to OTG is the first in five years, and that staff is working on a long-term solution that could take up to three months to finalize.
Jones says he may not be able to wait that long — and just wants clarity.
“We’re gonna see what happens,” he said. “Hopefully today or tomorrow, I’ll hear from the county.”
