(RIVERSIDE, CA) – True to his words during his campaign for Riverside County office, Supervisor Kevin Jeffries has indeed helped “Free The Food Trucks”.  In a unanimous vote last December 10, county supervisors have lifted ‘anti-competitive and anti-business’ restrictions dated back to the 1980’s that severely cripple the proliferation of mobile food vendors in the area.
The old version of Ordinance 580, “limits the operation of mobile food vending vehicles such as food trucks to approved and permitted community events”.  In 2012 alone, there have been 1,500 food truck events that have taken place in Riverside, Ontario and at Pechanga Resort & Casino near Temecula.  So why not make them a staple in the community and get to regulate them better?

“Food carts are also limited to sell prepackaged items, hot dogs, popcorn, shaved ice, coffee, cocoa, churros, pretzels, and nuts”, according to the ordinance.  The updated version, which will take effect April 8, 2014, will now allow food trucks to operate on a daily basis in accordance with local and city regulations.  Additional health and safety considerations were also added.  (See the proposed revisions here.  Final approved version has not been published as of press time.)

Riverside County First District Supervisor Kevin Jeffries stands outside the County Administrative Building as gourmet food trucks serve up the morning crowd in Downtown Riverside on Tuesday, June 25, 2013. Jeffries organized the festival as part of his effort to ease food truck restrictions in the county.

The initiative was backed by the community when an online petition was put up in January by freelance PR writer and Sharekitchen friend, Stacy Wiedmaier (see the petition’s timeline here at change.org).  Sharekitchen is a non-profit, shared kitchen facility offering a licensed and insured commercial kitchen for catering, street fair and local market preparation, product development and test kitchen.  The petition garnered 1,180 supporters and served as proof that community involvement and grassroots initiatives play a big role in the burgeoning food truck industry.

While in Horry County, SC a similar initiative has just started to get rolling.  Entrepreneur, Karl Mosser has asked the county council to come up with an ordinance that would allow and regulate food trucks.  Moser’s Stuff Your Face lunch wagon is already stuffed with supplies and literally ready to roll and do business.  All he needs is a license to operate, which the county currently does not issue because there is no existing laws that manage food trucks.

In response, an initial public hearing has been scheduled for January 23, 2014 at the Government and Justice Center in Conway to gauge public opinion about food trucks.  You may also fill up an online survey at surveymonkey.com.
So go get involved and help bring better and regulated street food to your communities.

Additional source: http://www.carolinalive.com/news/story.aspx?id=984481