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Food trucks: Hope for better local partnerships

Omayra Acevedo
Posted 7/31/23

There’s no denying there seems to be a fascination or perhaps obsession with food trucks. After assessing the food truck process and its effects on local businesses, patrons, and food truck

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Food trucks: Hope for better local partnerships

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There’s no denying there seems to be a fascination or perhaps obsession with food trucks. After assessing the food truck process and its effects on local businesses, patrons, and food truck owners, the findings were lengthy.

As with traditional restaurants, food trucks offer various options. The most obvious difference is the foundation and the flexibility to travel anywhere. Most food trucks specialize in fusion dishes, allowing them to cater to a wide range of dietary restrictions and preferences.

Howlin’ Wind Brewing & Blending and Gold Dirt Distillery are two of the many local venues known for the array of food trucks parking on their properties. But it’s not as easy and simple as opening a business and parking a food truck two feet away.

There’s a legal process that takes place long before you walk toward a food truck, drooling in anticipation of drowning your senses in the savory flavors you’re smelling.

After past Community Development staff conducted comparisons within surrounding cities and counties, in 2022, the Gilpin Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approved $100 food truck fees.

The $100 fee allowed for up to 30 continuous operating days, $400 for 31 – 120 continuous days, and $1000 for an annual permit, in addition to the required $25 property owner permit.

Aside from fees, food trucks undergo an inspection through Colorado Public Health to ensure safe food practices and receive truck features approval. Food truck owners desire to do business in Gilpin County, but high fees make it nearly impossible.

Current Community Development Director Rob Gutierrez requested lowering fees to $25 for up to 30 days, $50 for 31 to 120 days, and $100 for 121 to 365 days in a calendar year, keeping the property owner permit the same.

On June 28, 2023, the BOCC approved the proposed fee changes, which went into effect the same day. The changes focused not only on affordability but on the hope that “It creates a more welcoming fee to encourage licensed food trucks to partner with local businesses and properly zoned locations to offer safe, delicious prepared food,” says Commissioner Sandy Hollingsworth.

Commissioner Hollingsworth also shares, “The fee is also to promote adherence so that should there be a food incident related to a food truck, the customers are aware and can respond accordingly. Hopefully, every food truck serving our residents and visitors is not only safe but offers new food experiences for enjoyment.”

According to Gutierrez, the review and approval of these permits is not a substantial cost/time burden on the department, stating, “We are basically checking for compliance with zoning and other county regulations outside of public health. We haven’t done a ton of these types of permits, so we can reevaluate in the future if the volume of these permits increases.”

Gilpin businesses, like Howlin’ Wind, believe in collaborating with food trucks; it allows businesses without commercial kitchens to provide a service they can’t. Zack Delashmit of Howlin’ Wind says he likes that patrons can enjoy food with the beer they serve, “Patrons tend to stick around for a few more drinks if they have food available.”

Providing additional customer services can come with its share of challenges. For example, for small local mountain businesses, food trucks can take up valuable parking spaces, possibly limiting the number of guests that visit.

Delashmit says, “The thing that affects us the most is that the owner of the property has to apply for licenses to host food trucks. We rent the building. Therefore, we facilitate communication between the county and the land owner.”

“Hosting food trucks is a great option for most breweries in our model. However, there are realistic limitations to getting them to show up. Because there are very few local food trucks, we have to convince folks from down the hill to leave a metropolis and come to a ‘town’ of 180 people,” shares Delashmit.

He continues, “Secondly, the truck has to apply for a license that is limited in its use, given there are not many venues that host food trucks in Gilpin County. It can be a hard sell.”

Regardless of the challenges, Howlin’ Wind looks forward to hosting food trucks. Let’s hope the reduced fees will inspire more food truck owners to do business in charming Gilpin County.

For more information on Gilpin’s Community Development and fees, visit https://gilpincounty.colorado. gov/departments-offices/communitydevelopment/ planning-department or call the county at 303-582-5214.