Spokane eases food truck regulations, particularly downtown

Spokane relaxed regulations for food truck operators, particularly those who use downtown streets, with a Monday vote of the City Council.

The council voted 5-1 in favor of removing the regulations, with Councilman Michael Cathcart casting the sole no vote. He argued the city should not give up any tools it could use to help the Spokane Regional Health District – the board which Cathcart currently leads – enforce health safety regulations.

The ordinance, introduced this spring by Councilwoman Sarah Dixit with the support of City Administrator Alexander Scott, eliminates some decade-old regulations that food truck operators argue are unnecessary obstacles for merchants who want to sling shawarma or sell hot dogs from their roadside eateries.

The city will no longer require a $60 permit when a food truck operates within city limits for more than 14 days in a year, not including operating at an event. Few operators get the permits. The city estimates that eliminating the additional license would lose the city just $500 in annual revenue, likely less than it costs to administer.

Food truck operators also will no longer need to seek written permission from most downtown property owners before setting up shop outside – though the city will continue to prohibit food trucks from operating within 50 feet of a downtown brick-and-mortar restaurant without permission.

Current regulations also allow food trucks to operate in parking lots only if the lot is paved; Monday’s reforms allow them to operate in any parking lot with the property owner’s permission.

An amendment introduced by Councilman Paul Dillon does stipulate the food trucks operating on public property must leave the site in as good of a condition as they found it.

Tony Epefanio, owner of Mixed Plate Food Truck & Catering and president of the Greater Spokane Food Trucks Association, said when the ordinance was introduced that the eliminated regulations were minor but unnecessary headaches.

“Sixty dollars is a drop in the bucket compared to everything else we have to pay, but the signatures are a waste of time,” Epefanio said. “If we’re already permitted, why do we have to get signatures from anybody?”

While Monday’s action eliminates the additional permit to operate within the city, food trucks still need to be licensed by the Spokane Regional Health District.

The health district previously raised concerns the ordinance could have “unintended consequences.” Agency Food Safety Program Manager Jessica Martin later clarified these consequences related to unlicensed food stands proliferating across the city in the past year.

The health district has struggled to keep these food vendors shut down and wants enforcement support from the city.

While these illegal vendors are not set up in trucks, Martin worries removing city licensure for food trucks may send the wrong signal.

“We just want to make sure that we’re still able to rely on the city as a partner for helping us with unpermitted food vendors,” Martin said.

The health district is not taking a position on the ordinance, she added.

“We don’t do that. We can provide guidance. We can provide our technical expertise, any experience that we’ve had, but we’re not approving or telling anyone else what to do,” Martin said.

The Washington Hospitality Association asked the city to pause passage and implementation of the ordinance until the city addresses the unlicensed vendors.

According to an April letter to city council, removing an additional check at the city level would “risk creating additional confusion for vendors, customers, and enforcement agencies alike” when unpermitted vendors are “already widespread and poorly understood by the public.”

“This ordinance sends out a confusing message to the community at a time when we’re at a crisis,” said Washington Hospitality Association government relations spokesperson Derek Baziotis.

Emilie Cameron, president and CEO of the Downtown Spokane Partnership, has raised concerns that the reforms could make it more difficult to manage saturation and congestion downtown, as well as possible impacts on the visibility for the businesses they park next to.

Management for some downtown restaurants aren’t worried about the possibility of a food truck setting up nearby.

“I think that it’s great if there’s more options,” said Patrick Bozarth, manager of Chicken-N-Mo, though he said he wished the food trucks luck with downtown crime.

Outside of events at Riverfront Park, Cochinito manager Ashley Abosida said they’ve seen the Vern Cooks hot dog cart operating a mobile food stand, and that the relationship has been positive. She’s curious if competition from a food truck could dip into the restaurant’s sales, particularly on Taco Tuesdays, but remains cautiously optimistic.

“Honestly, we’re just excited for summer,” Abosida said.