Rules Loosening For Food Trucks In Santa Maria
Jarrod Zinn
SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – Santa Maria is updating its regulations for vendors who operate food trucks within city limits.
Small business owners may benefit.
The Santa Maria City Council unanimously approved the updated regulations for food truck operation last month at the ordinance’s first reading.
One significant change is an almost complete elimination of time limits imposed by the previous municipal codes from 2008.
“Recognizing that the game has changed dramatically since this was initially written decades ago, we wanted to make sure that our regulations were up to date,” says Chenin Dow, community development director for the City of Santa Maria.
Until now, vendors had a time limit of thirty minutes on public property, and just over an hour on private lots.
“Having to move every 70 minutes when we have hot oil and we have our propane tanks on, it’s kind of a safety hazard to us,” says Jennifer Perez, who works with her mother-in-law’s El Habanero Food Truck. “And then customers don’t want to have to move spots when we move spots.”
The newly approved codes officially extend operating hours to a standard work day, which city leaders say will accommodate made-to-order food preparation, rather than only permitting pre-packaged items.
“Going forward, there will not be a specific time restriction,” says Dow. “It will instead be hours of operation for the day.”
But with restrictions including: operators are prohibited from setting up shade structures, seating, amplifiers and loudspeakers.
Plus, they’re not allowed to connect to city utilities without approval.
“We’re also looking at distance requirements to ensure that you don’t have somebody that offers the exact same food you do park right in front of your restaurant,” says Dow.
Other rules include, visible trash receptacles, keeping a radius of 100 feet litter-free, and removing debris.
“Definitely have to thank the city,” says Perez. “It’s going to be easier for us small businesses to get the permits. And hopefully it brings more business without having to move separate places.”
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