Wiener serves up new food truck rules

It’s no secret, Readerland: Team SFBay loves us some food truck grub.

Everything from melty sandwiches to tasty banh mi to the best that bacon can offer.

The food truck movement has grown to incredible proportions here in the City By The Bay, which has also led to a few negatives, such as angry restaurant competitors and illegal trucks working without permits.

In response, one city supervisor is aiming to make the food truck nation more available in more areas, while also aiming to keep them out of the glare-line of “brick and mortar” restaurants.

The San Francisco Business Times reports that Supervisor Scott Wiener proposed legislation on Tuesday that would limit how close food trucks can post up in front of established restaurants, while easing restrictions on them in residential neighborhoods.

In response to complaints from restaurants, the legislation would set up something of a “buffer zone” to keep food trucks at a reasonable distance. Wiener’s goal is to adjust the San Francisco’s Public Works, Planning and Transportation codes to put a 50-foot buffer between established restaurants and trucks.

In exchange, trucks would be able to park closer to schools and residential areas, giving them new neighborhoods to find business in. While food trucks are currently not allowed within 1,500 feet of public middle schools and high schools, Wiener is looking to trim those buffer zones down to 500 feet for high schools and 750 to 1,000 feet for middle schools.

In addition, food trucks would also be allowed on hospital grounds and at college campuses located within residential zoning districts, where they’re currently forbidden.

Supervisor Wiener believes more regulation is needed to properly govern cheap-and-delicious street eats:

“We should encourage the food trucks’ success. … However, a lack of sensible and consistent rules regulating them has caused confusion and frustration.”

The legislation would also crack down on unlicensed food trucks, making the practice of visiting these mobile eateries safer.

A mission to make the food truck movement even better? Count us in.