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Food Trucks Battle Over Parking Spots Along Coveted Stretch Of Miracle Mile

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — One man now rules some of the most coveted parking spots for food trucks in Los Angeles.

KNX 1070's Claudia Peschiutta reports Patrick Lennon says he's got the city's permission to run metered parking spots along the Miracle Mile in an effort to bring order to what he described a "quite chaotic" situation.

Food truck operators hoping to land one of the prime spots along the 5900 block of Wilshire Boulevard across from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art will now have to apply for spots and pay a daily fee to use them.

The area has long seen fights break out between vendors over the parking spots, but Lennon - who runs the spots for five hours a day, seven days a week - says he hopes to put an end to that after hiring an attendant and paying to clean up after the trucks for

"I have 75 emails saved of people's specific stories of coming here for the first time, and they were rammed into by another car, they were physically abused sometimes, they were threatened," said Lennon.

The deal with Lennon was worked out under the area's former councilman after some food trucks refused to leave the block.

"In the past, I guess some trucks got very dominant and they were coming here seven days a week, and there were a handful of them that would never leave," he said.

While those trucks that have nabbed a spot are in favor of the arrangement, others who have been forced to move locations have complained about losing business and potential legal questions over whether Lennon has the right to regulate such spots.

Nolon Broyard, who works on the Green Truck, says it used to be a regular at 5900 Wilshire, but now, the truck is forced to park a few blocks away - and it's hurting business.

"We're looking at like 80 percent cut in sales right now," said Broyard.

A spokesman for City Councilman David Ryu - the area's current council representative - said officials are reviewing the matter with help from the City Attorney's office.

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