State decides food trucks do not need additional fire safety equipment
Jul. 5—WATERTOWN — The state has reversed an earlier decision that required food trucks to install expensive fire safety equipment to operate at farmers markets and fairs.
City code enforcement supervisor Dana Aikins was notified by a New York Department of State official on Friday that it was revising its interpretation on existing food trucks needing to install new safety systems.
In May, the city code enforcement office conveyed to Douglas Lamont, who operates a food truck at the Watertown farmers market, that he would have to install fire safety equipment in the truck he and his wife have run for years.
But with the state's revised interpretation, Mr. Lamont will not have to do that, Mr. Aikins said.
"The system requires (food trucks) to be maintained and in good working order," he said. "It does not require adding a new safety system."
Mr. Aikins plans to notify Mr. Lamont on Tuesday that the state has reversed its decision.
The state had changed its code pertaining to food trucks in 2020, but now is saying existing trucks are "grandfathered" and won't need to make additional changes.
On Saturday, Mr. Lamont said he was not aware of the change until he was told by a reporter that his truck would no longer need the fire safety equipment.
He declined to comment about the state's reversal, except to say "I'm going to wait to hear from city codes on Tuesday."
Food trucks recently stopped operating in the city of Syracuse after its codes office also ruled trucks were required to install new equipment, he said.
All the food trucks relocated from Syracuse to the New York State Fairgrounds to avoid the issue, he said.
Mr. Aikins said he was surprised to hear on Friday from the state that it was reversing the earlier determination.
"This causes no issues with any current vendors we have been/are working with. We will notify them of this revised interpretation and issue them the required Operating Permits," he wrote in an email to City Manager Kenneth A. Mix and city engineer Michael Delaney.
In May, Mr. Lamont said he was surprised that a city code enforcement officer showed up at the Watertown farmers market on May 25 notifying him that he would need to install an ANSUL fire suppression system in the truck's kitchen exhaust hood. Mr. Lamont estimated that the ANSUL system would cost $15,000 to install.
For years, he and his wife, Rhonda B. Lamont, have been bringing their food truck to the Greater Watertown-North Country Farm & Craft Market, with no issues until this year.
Mr. Aikins said he and his office were criticized for following the state's original interpretation.
"I don't have any hard feelings," he said. "We were just enforcing state laws."
In Friday's email to the city. Kevin Ellis, a state technical support official, explained the change of heart regarding food trucks.
"My original response to you was reviewed by our quality assurance department, and they wanted me to revise the answer. I apologize if my incomplete response has caused any difficulties," Mr. Ellis wrote.
Food trucks that legally existed before May 12 are not subject to make any constructional changes and can be "grandfathered," he wrote.
The Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce puts on the weekly farmers market.
