Council Discusses Future of Food Trucks In Santa Monica

By Jason Islas
Special to the Lookout

June 23, 2011 – The influx of more than 150 registered food trucks in Santa Monica has city officials pondering what kind of regulations are needed to keep things safe on the street and fair to more traditional establishments.

The City Council split its discussion of the problem Tuesday night into two parts: on-street vending and off-street vending.

“With respect to on-street vending, where trucks park on city streets and patrons are served on adjacent sidewalks, we've received considerable concerns from adjacent businesses,” said Andy Agle, Director of Housing and Economic Development .

Businesses have complained that crowded sidewalks caused by food trucks are unsafe, and that the large vehicles can obstruct police views.

In Downtown Santa Monica “parking is very much a premium, sidewalks are very crowded and food trucks tend to come and commandeer multiple spots for long periods of time,” said Mayor Richard Bloom.

And the police department is concerned about bar patrons gathering at food trucks that operate after clubs close because it continues a “party atmosphere” in the streets and can lead to noise complaints and jaywalking, said Santa Monica Police Department Deputy Chief Alfonso Venegas.

Although according to Bloom the City is constrained by State law as to what it can do to regulate food truck parking, solutions are possible, Matt Geller, Director of the Southern California Mobile Food Vendors Association said.

“In the Cal Vehicle Code, you have time, place and manner restrictions related to public safety and we've seen some things that have worked that we totally support,” Geller responded, adding that he and the vendors association were available to meet with City staff to discuss options.

Food trucks also operate off-street, as in the weekly event hosted by the Heritage Museum on Main Street where they set up in the museum's parking lot and serve passers-by.

Mayor Pro Tem Gleam Davis called the Tuesday food truck night “in some ways an impromptu community gathering” that is an “affordable social option” during hard economic times.

“My guess is that if we could find some off-street opportunities for food trucks, they might be less inclined to be on the streets where we don't want them,” she added.

The food trucks have been good for the museum too, especially in hard times, said Toby Smith, director of the Heritage Museum

“For us, the food trucks have been a very positive financial benefit as well,” said Smith.

Councilmember Kevin McKeown cautioned against being unnecessarily restrictive of the food trucks just because they represent a different business model.

“I grew up in what has often been called the golden age of American childhood,” he said. “I hate to think of it in retrospect as illegal activity, but I used to buy ice cream from trucks in the street and the world didn't end.

The Council unanimously supported a motion to study possible options to ease concerns related to the presence of food trucks.