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After a summer of deliberation, Grover Beach approved a permit ordinance amendment on Nov. 22 to allow food trucks to permanently operate on private property.
Sparked by a request from Grover Beach-based events coordinator Epic Entertainment to run its 675 W. Grand Ave. food truck hub on a more permanent basis, the city can now issue administrative development permits so that other mobile food vendors can do the same.
The West Grand Avenue space known as GBeatZ, is a parking lot with a daily rotation of food trucks. Epic Entertainment DJ Anthony Salas told New Times that the area houses up to five trucks a day during the busiest times.
"We can now make more permanent changes. Before, we had a tent, now we have actual pergolas," Salas said.
Vendors can also add permanent seating in front of their trucks. Initially, GBeatZ was running on a temporary permit because Grover Beach's codes didn't explicitly state whether food trucks could operate on public or private property.
City Manager Matthew Bronson said that the new ordinance establishes "common sense regulations" without burdening businesses too much, such as setting operation hours from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and ensuring the vendors don't block on-site traffic circulation.
"In working with our business community and the South County Chambers of Commerce, the city realized that amending the code would be a positive change that would allow for additional business opportunities within the city," Bronson said.
The ordinance will take effect on Dec. 22. Bronson said that the city coastal zone west of 4th Street would be exempted from the update because it's under the California Coastal Commission's jurisdiction. The city anticipates the commission will review and approve the ordinance in February.
"Our recent ordinance adoption focuses on mobile vendors on private property like GBeatZ rather than those that operate on public streets," Bronson said. "However, we're also working on a separate ordinance that we'll bring to the council in early 2022 that allows for greater use of mobile vending on public rights of way including streets and public parking lots." Δ