Rochester food truck forums, events set

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Food trucks will be part of an upcoming city-sponsored event designed to showcase downtown eating.

But while such interest in food trucks is appreciated, many vendors are still awaiting changes in city legislation that will make business better for their operation.

To that end, the city has scheduled two public forums dealing with food truck operations. The first is scheduled for 3 p.m. Aug. 13, and is seeking input from vendors on the program. The second, for members of the public, is scheduled for 5 p.m. Aug. 20.

Earlier this year City Council extended a pilot program through the end of the year that included the addition of six locations in the Center City where vendors could operate.

Events such as “Chow Down Downtown,” which is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday, will see food trucks parked on Church Street near City Hall. This, in addition to food truck rodeos at the Public Market and invitations to serve during Fourth of July fireworks display, is helpful in bringing more people to food truck operations, said Arthur Rothfuss, who owns the Hello Arepa food truck.

“It seems they are trying to get it,” Rothfuss said.

But legislative issues remain to be ironed out before vendors are completely happy.

This the second year of a pilot program for food trucks. As part of the extension of the program, hours of operation were extended to 2 a.m., which is several hours later than first proposed. Vendors also had hoped they could stay open as late as bars and restaurants.

Adding sites downtown is seen as a good gesture, but a key issue remains unresolved – the costly and cumbersome process for approving sites on outside the Center City and on private property, Rothfuss said.

As part of the extension, the number of days a vendor could operate in a single calendar year was upped from two days to 60, but that remains a Band-Aid approach as vendors are still put in the position of turning down business because of costs, Rothfuss said.

The city may take recommendations and suggestions from forums, as well as data from the current vending seasons, and build what they’ve heard into a final legislative package.

City officials have said a vote may happen in October.

“I am hopeful these issues will be addressed,” Rothfuss said.