Food truck permit requirement could be served up by Reynoldsburg
Food trucks may be required to purchase a permit to do business in Reynoldsburg.
The annual permit, according to City Attorney Chris Shook, would ensure food truck operators have proper insurance, a license issued by the state health department and proof of inspection by the local fire department.
“I was surprised that we didn’t have an ordinance that regulates food trucks,” Shook told council.
City Council’s public safety, law and courts committee discussed a draft ordinance during its Sept. 23 meeting that would require mobile food trucks to purchase a $100 permit.
The proposed ordinance could receive its first reading Oct. 10; however, some members expressed concerns about the fee for the permit being too high and whether a permitting process is even necessary.
Councilman Louis Salvati said Pataskala has a similar permit requirement, but it only costs $25.
“I guess my fear is that if this were to become the norm and Reynoldsburg would have a $50 or $100 fee for permitting. … If other cities were to follow suit with this, that would be quite a burden on food trucks on a year-to-year basis to have to (obtain a) permit in every city and pay,” Salvati said. “If nobody does follow suit, would that be a determinant? Would (food trucks) say, ‘I’d rather go to other (cities)’?’”
Fees would support the city employees charged with ensuring food truck operators have licenses, Shook said.
He noted incidences of food trucks “just popping up in the city and not operating with any checks or balances.”
The draft ordinance would waive permit application fees for mobile food trucks that operate “as an extension of a retail food establishment located in the city of Reynoldsburg” or that have been “approved for operation only within Reynoldsburg’s public parks.”
Council also discussed the hours in which a mobile food truck could operate. While the draft proposal recommended a time frame of dawn until dusk, Councilwoman Kristin Bryant, who chairs the public safety, law and courts committee, suggested 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., with the food trucks leaving the premises within an hour of closing.
Councilman Barth Cotner questioned the need for more oversight.
“Everything in here they’re already required to do,” he said. “They’ve got to have a health permit, they’ve got to have a fire inspection, they have to have permission to park on public property, they need permission to park in a public park. I just don’t see the value we’re bringing to residents with this $100 fee.”
According to the proposal, those found guilty of violating the ordinance could pay up to $1,000 in fines.
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This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Food truck permit requirement could be served up by Reynoldsburg
