In Springfield, Massachusetts, outcry from food truck operators appears to be getting results – or at least setting them in motion.
Dozens of vendors who run smaller-than-small businesses in the city have come out against rule changes passed by the city council months ago. The council is acting – it’s just a matter of what and when.
Looking to rein in trucks at the center of apparent disturbance calls and complaints, Springfield’s city council passed sweeping rule changes for the mobile food stands in April. But, just as they were about to go into effect on July 1, backlash began to surface.
By the time councilors met with food truck operators to talk things out two weeks ago, potential legal action was being floated.
“I wish we can get to a resolution, but I have to be fair and honest - we are prepared to go to the court to ask for an injunction on behalf of these food truck owners, many that don't speak English, many of them are licensed, they pay taxes” said Springfield State Representative Carlos Gonzalez at the July 16 meeting.
“This is not the right time,” he said of the rule changes, referencing how summer is the busiest season for the microbusinesses.
As WAMC previously reported, trucks with late-night clientele would be lopsidedly affected by new hours of operation limits: 6 a.m. and 11 p.m., even on private property in many cases.
Additional permitting requirements and detailed proximity rules were among the headaches vendors called out – rules that could potentially force trucks to leave longtime spots. That, on top of not being able to operate next to more than one other food truck on private lots, lest they become a “Mobile Food Truck Park” and need even more permitting.
With some food truck operators threatening to leave the city, it begged the question: can the Department of Public Works, charged with enforcement, put the whole thing off until things are sorted?
Without proper, higher authorities issuing the pause, it’s not a long-term option, says DPW Director Chris Cignoli.
“I don't want to be the one to say ‘We're not going to fine anybody,’ and then something happens out there, and I’ve got to sit in front of the police commissioner, fire commissioner and the mayor and say ‘You made a decision,’” he told councilors and food truck vendors at the same meeting. “We’ve got to go through legal processes here and I want to make sure that it's done correctly.”
During Monday night’s city council meeting, formal attempts were made to change the 11 p.m. limit to midnight and reduce mandatory the distance from brick-and-mortar eateries from 500 to 200 feet.
However, when given the option to pass a 120-day pause and add additional reforms down the road, members opted for that. While departing later that night, some said the vote that passed was a “first step” vote, and that a second “yes” vote would be needed at a soon-to-be-scheduled special meeting.
Councilor Lavar Click-Bruce also said that while warnings are still being handed out, fines regarding the new rules have largely been put on ice.
Regardless, as Boricua Bites owner Eric Maldonado previously told WAMC – food truck drivers just want clarity and a space to operate in the cityscape.
“This is the City of Homes, so you're (often) within 500 feet of a brick-and-mortar restaurant already - that limits where [food trucks] are going to sell. A lot of them decided, if we can get on private property and pay rent … we can vend there,” he said. “Our whole fight has been ‘If I'm on private property, paying rent to a business that’s zoned already for business, why is the city interjecting and putting this upon us?’”
Maldonado also said that despite food trucks being a $3 billion-a-year industry in the United States, the city ultimately offers about 20 public spots for around 200 food trucks operating in the area, making private lots crucial.
A member of the National Street Food Vendors Association, he also announced that a western Massachusetts chapter is being launched and meeting for the first time Tuesday, July 28.
Some audio for this story was provided by Focus Springfield.
