CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- An entrepreneur, who plans to use a recycled shipping container as a mobile restaurant, is facing opposition from at least one neighborhood group.
David Campbell of Boxman Studios, LLC met Thursday evening with the Derita-Statesville Road Community Organization.
Campbell told the neighbors he does not intend to place his converted cargo container in northeast Charlotte, but is in talks with the owners of at least two parking lots in Uptown.
Charlotte s rules for mobile food vendors do not currently allow the use of a self-contained, steel box for restaurant sales.
Derita homeowner Bernie Samonds told NewsChannel 36 he is concerned about a proposal to allow cargo containers as a permitted structure for food sales.
If there were more controls for how the thing would look, where it s placed, it probably would not be that bad of a deal, Samonds said.
He said he worries a change in the city s regulations would allow other business owners to place cargo containers in lots near his northeast Charlotte neighborhood.
Boxman Studios, which also converts shipping containers into cabana-like platforms for corporate events, is requesting a text amendment to the rules governing mobile food vendors.
I think we re very different from what s been out there currently, said Campbell, whose container would be used to sell gourmet sandwiches and salads.
He said the mobile restaurant would likely remain in one parking lot for about 3 hours to serve lunch before it is loaded onto a flatbed truck and driven back to a location where the food is prepared.
City planners are reviewing Campbell s proposal and will forward a recommendation on the text amendment to city council.
A public hearing on the amendment is scheduled for May 17. A decision is expected in June.
