Food truck rules are not about safety
By ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER EDITORIAL BOARD
Every 10 years, the city of Santa Ana dreams up new rules and regulations to take on the purported menace of food trucks. On March 7, the City Council approved regulations which, if finalized, would impose unjustified burdens to owners of food trucks, ostensibly to “ensure public safety and prevent traffic hazards, preserve the peace and safeguard the welfare of the community.”
Under the ordinance, the Orange County Register reports, “food trucks cannot sell their wares within 500 feet of a school, park, community center or public playground; within 100 feet of a marked or unmarked crosswalk; in public streets, alleys or highways with a posted speed limit of 35 miles per hour or greater; and they cannot flash neon or electronic displays that could distract drivers.” In addition, if the trucks do not move every hour, “they must obtain written permission for employees to use a health inspector-approved restroom within 200 feet.” Continue reading
