City makes it easier for food trucks

Since the determination of the city council that mobile food trucks were allowable, the city staff have run into a situation. The process takes too long and is too cumbersome the way it is currently set up.

In order to mitigate these issues the city’s planner, Marlin Johnson, brought an idea to the council.

At the June 19 meeting Johnson told the council that the staff feel the process, considering the amount of regulations and approvals for trucks must obtain in order to operate within the state, is too complex.

In fact, as the municipal code is written, it is easier to open a fireworks stand within the city limits than it is to operate a food truck.

In order to lawfully operate within the state of California, food trucks must pass state inspection, receive approval from the county department of environmental health, in many cases have an inspection by the fire department and get its city of Susanville business license.

The city proposed an ordinance that is modeled after food truck ordinances in the city of Lake Elsinore and believes the proposed ordinance imposes common courtesy and common sense regulations on food trucks while providing a clear path to operation without the added regulation of a special use permit.

The city waived the first reading of the ordinance and is expected to pass it at the council’s next meeting to take place July 3.