UCLA law students help taco truck operators overturn L.A. ordinance
Carne asada tacos will soon be returning to a Los Angeles street corner near you, thanks to a legal team that included students from the UCLA law school's clinical program.
A Los Angeles County Superior Court commissioner has nixed a city law that cracked down on taco trucks and other food coaches. The ordinance, approved by the City Council in 2006, forced operators to stay on the go: Trucks were prohibited from parking in the same spot in a residential neighborhood for more than a half-hour, or in a commercial area for more than an hour.
Commissioner Barry D. Kohn on Friday ruled that the city overstepped its legal authority. Catering trucks are regulated by the state, although local governments have the authority to impose additional regulations to protect public safety or health. Kohn found that the city ordinance was not based on either.
The legal challenge was filed by Francisco Gonzalez, who has operated a catering truck in East Los Angeles for more than a dozen years and specializes in carne asada. He received a $150 ticket in December for violating the ordinance.
A few months before that, a judge in August overturned a controversial ordinance passed by Los Angeles County supervisors that made it a misdemeanor in unincorporated parts of the county to park a taco truck in one spot for more than an hour.
-- Phil Willon at L.A. City Hall
Photo: Los Angeles Times
EDITOR'S PICKS:
Yay for UCLA Labor Center and all the UCLA law/undergrad students who helped make this happen! You can't beat the price, taste, or convenience. Taco trucks are the progenitor of a sweeping foodie craze like Kogi trucks and mobile dessert trucks that sell luxury cupcakes (as featured here: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/cupcakes/)
Taco trucks are a winning business model that deserve credit for sparking innovation and hungry stomachs. I wonder if now that some mobile food vendors have gone upscale and begun to cater to a hipster/foodie crowd, the city council would be as likley to pursue such an ordinance.
Posted by: Relieved | June 10, 2009 at 11:55 PM
mmmh.. this is making me hungry for tacos. I love tacos and I think taco trucks are very convenient.
Posted by: Frank | June 11, 2009 at 12:12 AM
Why do I get this weird feeling that we are suddenly going to hear of a bunch of UCLA students opening a successful LA food-coach operation which uses Bio-Diesel powered Trucks, offers Vegan, Vegetarian or Free Range fare, and uses a bare minimum of food containers and packaging all 100% recycled?
Taco Truck guys, your UCLA champions seem like your buds now. But they have designs on your turf, mark my words!
Posted by: Barnacle Bob | June 11, 2009 at 01:05 AM
@Local Taxpayer:
You couldn't be more wrong. Did you not bother doing research or are you just a liar?
My guess is that you're posting here under multiple names, trying to spread fear, uncertainty, and doubt. So, regarding your allegations that drugs are sold from the trucks: got any proof? No? Then shut up.
Posted by: Marcos El Malo | June 11, 2009 at 09:07 AM
@ Tim, you are a racist. You assumed I was ignorant and poor because I am Hispanic and mentioned the city of Lennox. Since when do eyesore taco tucks = Mexican pride. Should I ride a donkey to work with the Mexican flag around my shoulders? I am a first generation Mexican raised to appreciate our heritage and TACO TRUCKS ARE NOT IT. You should learn to appreciate our history and contributions to society not stereotypical emblems.
By the way TIM, I am a Technical Support Manger earning well over six figures.
Posted by: PEDRO SANCHEZ | June 11, 2009 at 03:23 PM
@ Macos El Malo. So you want street cred hugh. I was born and raised in INGLEWOOD, class of 1998 Inglewood High.
However, as a college educated Hispanic, I try not to be bias toward my own ethnicity.
Realistically, those taco trucks are an eyesore. Several cities including the city of Inglewood have already imposed restriction similar to the one in LA. I have yet to see a taco truck parked permanently in Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Culver City or Hawthorne.
Really think about that, the only cities were these trucks are permitted to roam free is in downtrodden neighborhoods. The man is not keeping us down, WE ARE.
Posted by: PEDRO SANCHEZ | June 11, 2009 at 03:45 PM
@ Adrian
I would actually welcome a taco truck in front of UCLAw, im tired of the dry burgers sold in our student food court. Carne asada is a good source of protein and containes less fat than most of the stuff peddled to us here...ok back to studying for the Bar!
Posted by: GeeZus | June 11, 2009 at 07:18 PM
It is too bad the food trucks that try to operate in the Beach Cities don't have the UCLA team to back them up. According to an email I got from the Chief of Police in Hermosa:
"The City allows these trucks to stop for no more than 10 minutes and they can only stop in a legal parking places. If they cater a private event the must have a business license in the City as well. The City now has three vendors that are showing up unlicensed and to be frank, the City does not want to become another Venice."
The other part is that The City will not allow trucks to get a license. Ugh.
Posted by: Drake Stone | September 27, 2009 at 12:52 PM