City’s food truck vendors express frustration

By Alberto Gilman
Posted 5/17/22

Several food truck owners in the City of Newburgh have appeared before city officials to express their concerns and frustration about city code re-enforcement.

Angel Rivera, co-owner of Real …

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City’s food truck vendors express frustration

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Several food truck owners in the City of Newburgh have appeared before city officials to express their concerns and frustration about city code re-enforcement.

Angel Rivera, co-owner of Real Spice appeared on April 25 before Newburgh City Council and several weeks later on May 9, Edward Campbell, owner of E & C Grill 43 also appeared before city council. Both owners expressed to the council and city manager that the recent orders to move off Broadway has made operations and collecting income difficult for their businesses. “I just don’t understand why I was forced to move off of Broadway, I’ve been there for four years,” Campbell said.

During both appearances by these owners, City Manager Todd Venning responded to Rivera’s and Campbell’s comments and explained that a part of the city code states that in order for a food truck to operate on Broadway within compliance, the food truck must be parked at a 45 degree angle. This is the angle that the parking spaces on Broadway are lined and the food truck must have a service window facing the sidewalk whether it be from the rear or front of the truck. Most of the food truck businesses that operated on Broadway have windows built in on the side of the vehicle.

“This year we’ve been focusing on a lot of our complaints that we’ve received from residents and taxpayers and we’ve tasked several of the departments to help get out there and enforce our laws some of which they may have not been enforced in some time,” Venning said. “One of those laws does apply to the parking on Broadway and the mobile food vendors.“

Chapter 223 titled “Peddlers, Vendors and Solicitors” provides a breakdown of city regulations and codes for various types of vendors and Section 9 of the city code titled “Food Vendors” provides a breakdown of the various codes and regulations when it comes to business such as food trucks. Additional information on food trucks can be found on the city website under the fire department section that has permit applications available, city code references and additional information about food trucks.

Real Spice, owned by Rivera and Kirkland Salmon, originally operated on Broadway and Johnston St. According to Rivera, the food truck served food to members of the police department, hospital staff and other residents. Real Spice has also assisted in several back to school events and served food to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh and Newburgh Ministries. Real Spice has now moved and operates out of a parking lot across from the City of Newburgh Courthouse next to the Mobil Gas Station.

E & C Grill 43 first opened in 2018 and began on Liberty Street, near Washington’s Headquarters. However, the business was met with some resistance and Campbell left after two to three months and moved in front of St. Patrick’s Church cemetery located on Broadway.

For the past four years, Campbell said he was able to operate without difficulty and he goes through the proper permit renewals through City Hall, New York State and Orange County but did not receive notifications about the update to the city code enforcement. He now operates his food truck on Ann Street and has seen his customer clientele decline.

Nathan Houston, owner of the food truck, Next Wave LLC, first opened in 2020 and has operated his food truck for the past two years. Originally, Houston first operated his food truck on the corner of Liberty and Broadway. However, within this year, Houston said he has not been able to set up his food truck.

“I haven’t figured out a place really where I can park. I did Washington Street all last year. Business was slow,” Houston said. “It’s hard to get seen on a street that only people ride past. How are we to be seen if we’re stuck on back streets?”

For both Campbell and Houston, they wish to see an easier process to get the proper paperwork and permits to operate without any difficulties.

Additionally, Campbell and Houston would like to see additional support for the food trucks.