We should know by the end of the day what the future holds for food trucks that want to operate within city limits. The Buffalo Common Council is expected to vote on a 'Mobile Food Vendor Ordinance' during a special session Tuesday afternoon. Before the vote, lawmakers will be holding a public hearing on food trucks starting at 2 p.m. in Council Chambers. The North District's Joseph Golombek says lately he has been hearing fewer complaints from traditional restaurant owners.
"I think that the ordinance that we passed a year-and-a-half ago worked reasonably well and I think that most of the brick and mortar restaurants realized that this wasn't as severe of a problem as they anticipated," Golombek said.
While the mobile kitchens are popular with the public, truck owners say government fees are hurting their business. Golombek says the new legislation will help the industry in Buffalo.
"The Council is sort of all over the place in many regards, but I think that we've agreed on cutting the renewal fee by 50%. It would go from $1,000 to $500, which I think is very very fair reduction," he said
Golombek says unlike other cities with supposedly lower fees, there are no hidden costs for food trucks in Buffalo. The only other change in the ordinance, he says, is mobile kitchens will be required to pass an annual fire inspection.