The Valley’s growing love affair with food trucks and their ever-expanding culinary possibilities is dishing up controversy in some areas, where owners of traditional restaurants are making it clear they don’t want the competition and would prefer the vehicles keep their distance.

In Mesa, an effort to establish regular food-truck events was launched in the Las Sendas area in early September, with the cooperation of the homeowner’s association there. Organizer Natascha Ovando-Karadsheh, a Las Sendas resident and former restaurant consultant, said she already has arranged for more events, including on Oct. 2 at Las Sendas and Oct. 16 at Mesa Community College at Southern Avenue and Dobson Road.

Food fight_ Trucks vs.pdf