Food Truck Legislation: Passed

Buffalo Common Council Jan. 24, 2012

As anticipated, the Buffalo Food Truck ordinance was passed by the Buffalo Common Councilon Tuesday by a vote of 8-1, with Councilmember Mickey Kearns voting in the negative.

I have embedded below the full text of the legislation as adopted, and later this week, I will post video interviews I conducted with the truck owners.

The measure was adopted after Councilmember Kearns took to the floor to ask for more “patience” from the food trucks, proposing that the annual fee be reduced to $395 per year, and that a regulation of one truck per block face be implemented. Councilmember Golombek remarked that the trucks had been patient enough. Councilmember Pridgen wanted to be sure that non-profit groups that feed the needy would not be covered under this statute, and the corporation counsel indicated it all depends how they serve food. There was also some discussion regarding the fact that the $1,000 to cover the trucks from now until the law’s sunset in April 2013.

Regulation in this case is a good thing, as it sets forth how the trucks must behave, and hopefully eliminates any risk of random or capricious complaints from brick & mortar restaurants. Buffalo is in the forefront of this new movement, and for that we should be proud.

Mayor Brown is expected to sign the bill into law within the next two weeks.

Buffalo Food Truck Ordinancehttp://www.scribd.com/embeds/79264224/content?start_page=1&view_mode=list&access_key=key-217roprivh7xnikj1nhh//