Buffalo Food Truck Law: Crunch Time

There are hopeful signs that the Common Council may vote on the proposed Food Truck licensing legislation as early as January 24th. The WNY Food Truck Association recently met to back the current proposal as written. Although its language is somewhat vague and, in my opinion, incomplete, the trucks are eager to get on the road and vend legally.

A flawed law is better than no law. Also, it has a built-in sunset provision, enabling the various stakeholders and city government to re-evaluate the statute and keep what works and ditch what doesn’t.

Proposed Food Truck Lawhttp://www.scribd.com/embeds/76216760/content?start_page=1&view_mode=list&access_key=key-apy5eod0zl44jfqrnoi//

On Tuesday, I spoke with Council President Rich Fontana who said that the food truck opponent brick & mortars feel as if their voice hasn’t been adequately heard, and he will be pushing for a “one truck per block face” rule, which would effectively forbid trucks from parking, en masse, along a single side of a street.

There has been some discussion in recent days about holding a Buffalo Cash Mob in support of the food trucks down by Canal Side. A “one truck per block face” rule would prohibit that from happening in the way it’s envisioned. Fontana indicated that perhaps the provision could be written so as to apply only to existing commercial districts. I also asked him about whether the law could include a way for brick & mortars and food trucks to collaborate in an informal way that would technically violate the 100′ radius rule, but do so with the brick & mortar’s consent. He indicated that he would be willing to take up such a measure.

Be sure to reach out to the members of the Common Council – especially members Golombek, Fontana, and Pridgen, and urge them to back a fair and rational set of regulations for Buffalo’s food trucks.

And while you’re at it, make sure to check out the newest upcoming truck – the Cheesy Chick, which will be serving gourmet grilled cheese starting this Spring.

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