Santa Paula to place moratorium on food trucks over restaurant business decline

SANTA PAULA, Calif. (KABC) -- For some restaurant owners in Santa Paula, food trucks are causing a decline in their business.

The trucks can pull up, cook food within minutes and serve it out. Food truck operator Rodolfo Barragan said he doesn't understand what all the fuss is about.

The owner of La Terraza, an established Mexican restaurant that has been in the city for nearly 30 years, argues as more and more food trucks come to town, his business declines at least 20 percent. He said for other restaurants, it's even worse.

"I think it's not fair because if they want to do business there is a lot of empty buildings here in Santa Paula. They can open a restaurant and go through the process like how we go," Adan Sandoval said.

City officials said with many restaurant owners complaining about how food trucks are hurting their businesses, it will place a moratorium. The ordinance will be effective at the end of the year, which will stop the issuance of any more permits to trucks operating in town for up to an hour at a time.

The owner of Best BBQ said he doesn't have a problem with food trucks parking outside of his business.

"We don't have any problems with these people having food in their trucks. Everybody has to make business," he said.