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Food trucks looking to do business in Oakboro have a new place from which to operate.

At Monday’s meeting of the Oakboro Town Council, the board approved a plan to allow food trucks to operate on a vacant lot at Wade Road and N.C. Highway 205.

Close to Big Lick Road, Town Commissioner Mike Efird said the property has a gravel road and will allow as many as a dozen food trucks to operate there, with the possibility of picnic tables and parking.

Having the trucks on the lot on regular business days will be much safer than having them all around town, Efird said.

The plan will go into effect Sept. 1 and run through the rest of the year as an experiment to see if it works, with the permission of the lot owners. The new area will only cost the town the amount for the lights.

Efird also spoke about clarifying the board’s position on having food trucks in town.

“We’re not trying to run the food trucks out of town. That’s the furthest thing from what we had in mind,” Efird said.

The property will give food trucks “room for people to drive in, park and get out” to enjoy what the trucks have to offer, he added.

When asked by Commissioner LaToya Jackson about the town’s Mexican restaurant, Los Jacbues, which sometimes operates a food truck in front of its business on Main Street, Efird said they could also operate the truck at the Wade Road location.

Efird further stated the board is not trying to prevent food trucks from working at various public events such as a cruise-in or the annual Fourth of July celebration.

For special events, Efird said Third Street will be closed to allow the food trucks to operate.

If the new zone is successful, Efird said the board can look for a lease in the future.