It could get harder to find a favorite taco or grilled cheese truck in Santa Barbara. The City is considering new rules that could limit when and where food trucks operate.
Some of the reasons behind the proposed changes were discussed at a Santa Barbara City Ordinance Committee meeting Tuesday.
Santa Barbara Police Chief Kelly Gordon addressed a proposed time restriction that would limit operation hours from 7am to 10pm. It would also limit vendors from being at a location for more than four hours.
“We also get a lot of noise complaints after hours related to permitted mobile food vendors so I couldn't give you an exact number but it is something we've been currently dealing with,” Gordon said.
Gordon said police receive noise complaints about music near the vendors, for example.
Ordinance Committee member Oscar Gutierrez said he does not support the rule changes.
“To propose more regulation on business owners where the fundamental idea of this business is for it to be easier for somebody to provide this service, it just seems completely unfair,” Gutierrez said.
The committee took public comment before finalizing the draft ordinance. The measure will now go to the City Council for discussion.