Food trucks have returned to the South Mall for the second year in a row.

The Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners voted unanimously 5-0 to approve food trucks at the South Mall, 3300 Lehigh St., Salisbury Township.

Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners Vice President Debra Brinton moved to bring the matter to a vote, seconded by Commissioner Joanne Ackerman.

The vote at the May 23 meeting followed a conditional use hearing, chaired by Salisbury Township Solicitor, Atty. John W. Ashley, held 7 p.m., prior to the start of the commissioners meeting.

The hearing on the food trucks use was postponed at the April 25 township meeting and was not on the agenda of the May 9 township meeting.

Rachel Berosh, assistant property manager of management services, Metro Commercial Real Estate, which manages the South Mall, attended the hearing and represented the mall management firm.

Food trucks are on the mall parking lot, 4-8 p.m. Thursdays, through Sept. 26. The trucks are to depart the lot by 9 p.m. Mall employees handle cleanup during and after the event.

Two additional maintenance persons and one security guard, in addition to Berosh, are on duty.

According to Berosh, 15 to 20 trucks are at the mall each Thursday.

Berosh said she spoke with the township fire inspector about the food trucks.

Salisbury Township Chief of Police Allen W. Stiles said there were no reports of problems in 2018 having to do with the food trucks at the South Mall.

The food trucks are inspected by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Berosh said.

Barricades are placed in the area where the food trucks are parked, which is the area of the parking lot in the vicinity of the former BonTon department store. Tables and chairs are placed in a square, with the food trucks parked around the seating area.

Bathrooms in the mall are available for use by food truck patrons.

“That’s the catch,” Berosh said. “They have to come into the mall.”

Berosh estimated the food trucks at the South Mall generated 18,000 social media followers in the first year in 2018.

“It got a lot of press for the mall, especially in this retail climate right now,” Berosh said.