David Sevcik knows all about the Mac "Noodles, Mile High Cheeseteak and Walking Tacos鈥� as well as other culinary delights he serves up in his 10 food trucks that circulate in the metro area. His menu aside, Sevcik also has to keep track of which city and county requires him to get new health and fire safety permits to allow his truck grills to operate.
The new permits are necessary in many Colorado cities and counties, even though he may have already earned the same permit from a different jurisdiction.
New fees for health and fire inspections for each truck can quickly add up, Sevcik said. The Westminster resident said last year he paid nearly $10,000 in fees to local jurisdictions to stay in local compliance.
"I am not trying to fail, I want to stay in business and make everyone safe," Sevcik said. "But this can get expensive."
Sevcik Tuesday was prepared to testify in the State Legislature or HB25-1295, which would require local governments to grant reciprocal business licenses, health permits, and fire safety permits to food truck operators that hold active licenses and permits from another local jurisdiction.
The measure is sponsored by Rep. Manny Rutinel, an Adams County Democrat, who says food truck operators now must pay for health and fire safety permits in different jurisdictions even though they have met the exact requirements in another locale. "Food trucks are a growing part of Colorado's economy, and they are inherently mobile and meant to operate across multiple jurisdictions," Rutinel said in Capitol Watch, which breaks down each proposed bill. "Local government licensing and permitting requirements create unnecessary burdens on food truck businesses."
The measure would require food trucks to be granted reciprocal business licenses and permits if the food truck owners provide a valid business license from another local government, a valid health department permit from another local government and a valid fire safety permit, according to the bill.
The current system of permitting food trucks discourages people looking to break into the business because of the weight of red tape, said Maria Gonzalez, founder and CEO of Adelante Community Development. The Commerce City-based non-profit works to help Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs succeed in the business world.
"We just need more statewide consistency in the permitting process," Gonzalez said. "That would help those just starting out."
The legislation is opposed by the Colorado Municipal League, which says in part that "The bill overrides local decisions about where and how often food trucks operate."
"The bill also overrides local public health, fire, and licensing regulations by requiring jurisdictions to accept health and fire safety permits from other jurisdictions with potentially less stringent rules," according to the Colorado Municipal League.
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