Supervisors reschedule food truck lettering proposal

A proposed ordinance that would require food trucks to display the same health inspection letter grades as restaurants will be presented to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors on July 11.

A variety of land-use issues dominating the supervisors’ meeting on Wednesday, when the item was on the board’s agenda, forcing the schedule change.

The county inspects approximately 1,100 mobile food operations in the region. Of those, 550 sell to the public, but they are not required to display the results, Supervisor Ron Roberts said. Restaurants generally display their blue “A” grade on a placard in a front window.

The food trucks would receive decals instead of cards so that the grades could not be transferred among vehicles.

County staff has been studying the issue for four months and will deliver a report to the supervisors on the proposed law next month. If approved by the board, the county Department of Environmental Health will work with the region’s 18 cities to establish uniform enforcement.

Final approval of the ordinance by the supervisors would then be scheduled for later this year.

Roberts said the trucks are already inspected by the county, but they should have to display the letter grades. His idea is supported by the San Diego County Restaurant Association and the owners of Trucked Up Productions, which operates the Chop Soo-ey and Ms. Patty Melt food trucks, he said.