TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — For Gabriela Delgadillo, cooking isn’t just her livelihood, it’s her passion, and that’s why as she made her sweet potato roll, she got excited at the prospect of connecting with new customers.
“I love to make people feel happy because I feel when you eat good food, you bring people together,” Delgadillo said.
She’s had that same excited feeling since she opened Samurai Sombrero Sushi at the Pit on 22nd street and Pantano Road about nine months ago.
However, now the City of Tucson is considering new regulations on food trucks at permanent places owned by a collective owner like the Pit.
They are considering not allowing food trucks to have outdoor internal combustion generators.
“If something happens here and we’re not able to use electricity, then we can use our generator as a backup, so I feel like that is a big concern,” Delgadillo said.
The new rules would not apply to food trucks in temporary places like outdoor events or fairs.
The City of Tucson’s Planning Commission said they held two virtual public feedback meetings with 65 people in attendance and some people were concerned about the noise from generators, which is why they are considering only letting food trucks use inverters, which are quieter.
They also want to make sure food courts like the Pit have enough electricity, parking and restrooms.
The City of Tucson said they’re considering only letting food trucks have one parking space per truck.
However, Delgadillo said they should consider letting food courts have more food trucks.
“The more trucks that are here, there is variety and there are more customers that want to come and that’s what we want. We want customers and families to come and it helps everybody,” she said.
The City is also considering allowing commercial kitchens for vendors.
As Joel Quijada, who owns Sweet Rolls and More, chopped up fresh bananas and strawberries to make his rolled up ice cream, he considered how that might help him.
“Instead of like traveling to other places, we can create our food in here, like the prepping and all that stuff,” he said.
However, he said he wouldn’t be in favor of the City requiring food trucks to use kitchens rather than the ones in their truck, which was mentioned as a consideration at their study session on Wednesday.
As for other vendors, The City said they are only hoping to have more than fifty percent of the food court used by businesses that make food.
Quijada agrees the food court should focus more on food, but still allow other vendors.
“Allowing other vendors in here, they’re not like food, it can help to bring more foot traffic,” he said.
On Wednesday, the City approved a public feedback meeting that is scheduled for October 18. These new rules are still just suggestions for now and will be considered by the mayor and city council at the end of the year.
For now, Quijada is just glad the City is allowing the food trucks to stay at the Pit and continue connecting with the community.
“It would be great to bring the community together and then that the City accommodates all of us,” he said.
