SACRAMENTO - More than two dozen mobile food vendors from Sacramento and the Bay Atrea are preparing for the third SactoMofo event Saturday.
The event takes place under Highway 50 at 6th and W streets downtown from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will feature a variety of food and elaborately designed food trucks. However, the main reason for gourmet gathering is to promote awareness about a city ordinance mobile food truck operators say is killing their businesses.
The ordinance states that mobile food vendors cannot be in one spot for more than 30 minutes, and they have to follow a curfew ranging from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., depending on the season.
Vendors say the limited amount of time they have to prep, set up, and start serving food, forces them to move on before they can generate a decent amount of business.
Paul Somerhausen, SactoMofo coordinator, says the vendors would like to see the rules changed to a more reasonable regulation where the mobile vendors can co-exist with traditional brick-and-mortar restaurants.
Spokesman for Mayor Kevin Johnson, Joaquin McPeek, says the reason for the ordinance stems from complaints over vendors camping out for extended periods of time on streets, traffic safety issues, and complaints from restaurants when the vendors set up too close to their establishments.
Johnson has been supportive of working out a solution that makes sense for everyone involved. McPeek says the mayor feels like it's worth looking into the issue, and adds that something needs to be done to help the growing mobile food vending culture.
Learn more about SactoMofo
Check out the Sac Food Truck Tracker to see when and where food trucks are in your area.
News10/KXTV