GO-TO GAL: Reader asks about on-the-move eateries

Q. What are the requirements for mobile food vendors in the city? It seems unfair to have a mobile food vendor operating when someone who owns a restaurant has to pay property tax.

A. The gist of the question — at least how I interpreted it — has two parts. One is the requirements for such on-the-go entities, and two is the issue of property tax.

Bob Myers, Newton city attorney, said all retail food vendors, such as restaurants, are required to have both a state and city food handlers license. That would include mobile vendors. A vendor would have to show the city his or her state license before he or she could get a city license, and a state license requires a food safety inspection. And of course, there are license fees. Myers said to his knowledge, all the mobile unit vendors in the city have these licenses.

(As a random sidenote, did you know there are separate licenses for ice cream trucks and vending machines? The state issues licenses for such, with a fee of $5 per ice cream truck and $3 per vending machine.)

The state has the primary responsibility for safety inspections, as well as following up on concerns or complaints, Myers said.

Now, on to the where-they’re-parked issue. First, such a vendor would have to get permission of the property owner to set up shop, and the property would have to be zoned for that kind of use, Myers said.

As for the issue of property tax, the vendor would be operating on a facility where the owner is paying property tax. So someone is paying tax on the property, and if they chose to allow a mobile food vendor to use a chunk of their land or parking lot, well, they kind of can (if all other requirements and zoning issues are hunky-dory).

And now I feel the deep need to go out to eat.

Toodles.