Bill provides food trucks with a new lease on life

Expect to see more food trucks parked at Hono­lulu’s metered stalls today after Mayor Peter Carlisle signed into law a bill making it legal for them to conduct business on streets for up to three hours at a time.

Carlisle’s signature came less than two hours after the City Council voted 8-0 to pass the bill.

Lunch wagon owners say police officers have been issuing citations against them using an ordinance that allows vendors to sell their food and other items for no more than 15 minutes when stationary in a street parking zone.

The new ordinance, known as Bill 59, allows trucks to park up to a posted time limit, or three hours in areas where there are no time limits.

Several food trucks, among them Simply Ono and Camille’s on Wheels, have left the downtown area where enforcement has been most severe. Many have relocated elsewhere on the island or begun renting parking space on private property. The weekly Taco­‘ako Tuesday gathering of food trucks in Kakaako also halted earlier this year.

Camille Komine, whose Camille’s on Wheels is well known for its fusion tacos and pies, said she intends to return to Punchbowl Street.

Councilwoman Tulsi Gabbard, who introduced the bill, said "real people and their livelihoods are at stake here. This bill is about supporting our small-business owners who are the backbone of our economy."

Attorney Marcus Landsberg, who is representing several of the people cited, said a judge sided with one of his clients, and he expects other citations to be thrown out as well. Violators found guilty could be punished with a fine of up to 30 days in jail or a $1,000 fine.

Poni Askew of StreetGrindz.com, which puts on Eat the Street and other food truck events, said she knows of at least four to five truck vendors who have gone out of business due to the enforcement of the old law. "The rest have just struggled to get by," Askew said.

Some Council members voiced concerns that food trucks held an unfair advantage over "brick and mortar" restaurants because they do not have to pay to lease a physical space.

But no one testified against the bill after several meetings. The Hawaii Restaurant Association supported the bill. Gabbard said the two types of eateries serve different needs for the community.