On the heels of a food truck festival coming Saturday to downtown Sacramento, a public meeting is being held tonight in Elk Grove to discuss Elk Grove's current mobile vending ordinances. While current ordinances in Sacramento mandate that food trucks have to move every 30 minutes, in Elk Grove food trucks can only stay parked for 15 minutes and then must move at least 1,000 feet. Food trucks operating in Elk Grove also have a time limit of selling between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. However, food trucks can vend on private property with permission from the owner, which has led to some mobile food truck round-ups on the occasional Thursday in Elk Grove.
Tonight's 6 p.m. meeting and public workshop, which will be held at Elk Grove City Hall's Council Chambers (8400 Laguna Palms Way, Elk Grove), will invite public comment from mobile food vendors, residents, brick-and-mortar restaurant owners and other interested parties.
"Over the past couple months, the city has received an increase in inquiries about operating mobile food trucks," said Sarah Kirchgessner, senior planner with the Elk Grove Planning Department. "We're looking to possibly update current regulations and want to have public input."
Back in Sacramento, momentum has stalled over the last couple months at city hall about making the city more food truck friendly. Two meetings to discuss food truck ordinances with the city's Law and Legislation Committee were postponed, this after public support from Mayor Kevin Johnson and members of city council including Rob Fong and Darrell Fong. A new hearing date has yet to be announced.
Organizers with Sacto MoFo, the group behind Saturday's festival featuring 24 food trucks at 8th and W streets, are hoping this latest event will show that local demand for mobile food hasn't waned.
"It would be ironic if Elk Grove moves quicker (on amending regulations)," said Paul Somerhausen, a Sacto MoFo organizer. "We'll see what happens, but (tonight) we'll go to the meeting and hopefully have a good productive conversation."
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