By CATHY DYSON

The King George Board of Supervisors had a lengthy discussion last week about a new zoning ordinance that would allow mobile vendors to sell barbecue, ice cream or sandwiches from a truck.

But in the end, supervisors decided the regulations would cause more problems than they solved, and nixed the notion of a new ordinance altogether.

"I don't see what's to be gained by this," said board Chairman Joe Grzeika. "This still won't solve the problem of a guy setting up somewhere, selling crabs."

Supervisor Cedell Brooks Jr. had asked county staff to look into the issue of mobile vendors last year. He got reports about a "crab man" selling wares out of a truck by the side of the road.

King George doesn't have a zoning ordinance that addresses mobile vendors, so Brooks asked if the county should pursue one.

Community Development Director Jack Green drafted an ordinance, and the Planning Commission approved rules regarding the operation of vendors.

Had the ordinance been approved, vendors would have needed a county permit and business license, as well as permission from the property owner where they parked. They would have been allowed in commercial and industrial zones only, and couldn't stay on the premises more than 12 hours in a 24-hour period.

Green's ordinance included vendors that stay in one place as well as "transitory" ones that move from one location to another.

It also included mobile medical and veterinary clinics--basically, any group that has in the past asked for county permission to operate.

Supervisor Dale Sisson Jr. feared the ordinance might encourage people to operate from a vehicle rather than a brick-and-mortar building.

"It would defeat the purpose of what we're trying to do, to get people to set up business properly," he said.

Green agreed, adding that the county doesn't have enough employees to make sure people are following an ordinance.

"They can set up anywhere," Green said, "and we don't have the staff to go out and enforce this."

Grzeika said metropolitan areas, where there are enough people to support these types of businesses, might need a zoning ordinance, but King George doesn't.

"I don't see that we have 17 food trucks trolling around, causing a problem," he said.

Cathy Dyson: 540/374-5425
Email: cdyson@freelancestar.com