City Holding Meeting To Discuss Permitting Of Fully Functional Food Trucks

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Jun 25, 2012 9:30PM

As this post goes live to Chicagoist's main page, the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection is meeting to review two separate proposals that may finally pave the way for Our Town's food trucks to graduate from being glorified roach coaches to fully functioning mobile restaurants where the food is prepared, and cooked, as orders are placed.

The two separate ordinance proposals are from the Mayor's office and a revised copy of the ordinance originally introduced by 32nd Ward Ald. Scott Waguespack and former 43rd Ward Ald. Vi Daley in 2010, both call for legal preparation of food on board trucks, but will come with higher licensing fees, steeper fines for violations, and operate in designated zones.

Under Waguespack's revisions, drafted with 44th Ward Ald. Tom Tunney and 42nd Ward Ald. Brendan Reilly, food trucks will be monitored by GPS; pay $275 for a mobile food dispenser license, $1,000 for a mobile food preparer license and another $2,500 for a supplemental food preparer license. Trucks will operate in "mobile food truck loading zones" bounded by the following areas; Addison St. to Chicago Ave. to Halsted St. to Western Ave.; Diversey Ave. to Irving Park Rd. to Lake Michigan to Ashland Ave.; and North Ave. to Jackson Boulevard to Lake Michigan to Des Plaines. Truck found not operating in those zones will be subject to fines ranging from $1,000 0 $1,500 for a first offense, and up to $2,500 and revocation for a third offense. Furthermore, only 200 “mobile food preparer” licenses and another 90 supplemental such licenses will be available.

If the all parties can reach an agreement, a food truck ordinance could be up for vote before the full City Council on Wednesday. Waguespack told Crain's Chicago Business both his amended ordinance and the Mayor's version defend the Illinois Restaurant Association's positions on where food trucks should operate and fees.

The sticking issue here for food truck operators appears to be the operating zones. Duck 'N Roll's Amy Le told Crain's the proposed zones could mean some trucks may have to pack it in during winter, where they would more rely on being near office buildings.

Wag Tunney Reilly Sub Food Trucks