The city will take a phased approach in establishing new rules for food trucks, with a draft ordinance expected soon that will start by focusing on health and safety.

The City Council this week voted to move forward with recommendations contained in a consultant’s report that details a two-step process to implement changes as to where and how food trucks are allowed to operate. Council members said they support the food truck operators who make up Long Beach’s diverse food scene, but agreed they must be mindful of negative effects to brick-and-mortar restaurants that pay rent and utilities, and especially those that pay fees to operate in one of the city’s business improvement districts.

“We want to keep them around,” Councilmember Cindy Allen said during Tuesday’s meeting. Allen acknowledged that food trucks often provide quick, low budget food options for customers that other restaurants may not offer but said, “It’s about finding a balance because we want everyone to work harmoniously.”

Food truck vendors and supporters stayed at the City Council meeting until nearly midnight Tuesday to plead their case and express concerns over their fate on Shoreline Drive, a popular hub for food trucks in Downtown, especially after receiving complaints from restaurants near the area.

A petition in support of food truck vendors received 2,500 signatures as of Thursday morning.

Isabel and Jorge Ramirez operate their funnel cake truck, Gloria’s Funnels, in front of the Pike Outlets during the week. They told the council that they cashed out their 401K to open their business in 2018. “This is what we live off of,” said Isabel.

“When we started working at The Pike … it was empty and more trucks started coming in and now, The Pike is packed on the weekend,” said Jorge. “We are a big asset to the Pike and their business.”

The same sentiment was shared by other food truck operators who said they sacrificed all they have to build their businesses and support their families.

“There is enough business for anyone,” said Joshua Gonzalez, another food truck operator who did not disclose the truck he owned during the meeting. “We do sacrifice a lot of hours to run a business and  I feel like we should have the same chance as they do.”

While no changes have been implemented to city policy yet, the first phase of the process will require food truck operators to obtain a health permit from the city’s health department in order to legally operate in the city. Currently, food trucks with health permits from the county can sell food in Long Beach and are not subject to city enforcement.

The new rules could also include aligning the city’s municipal code with state legislation, removing obsolete sections of the code and establishing a clear definition for what a food truck is, differentiating them from ice cream trucks or other mobile food carts. Some of those changes, as established by state law, would require food trucks to operate within 200 feet of a bathroom or hand-washing facility or have permission from an adjacent business to use their facilities.

Phase two of the process will require more time and public outreach to determine specific regulations as to where in the city food trucks can operate or where they could be banned. Parking, noise, and land use regulations will also be considered in phase two, as well as establishing designated “food truck zones” that will allow the city to better enforce health codes in those areas. The city will also hire a food truck coordinator that will focus on enforcing new rules and will serve as the point of contact for all operators.

A draft ordinance outlining those changes is expected as early as next summer.