PALM SPRINGS, CA – Even though other Coachella Valley cities have moved forward with laws to allow food trucks, Palm Springs extended its moratorium on the mobile vending vehicles for another year.

“Are we just kicking this can down the road so we don’t have to deal with it?” Mayor Steve Pougnet casually asked the city staff at last week’s Palm Springs City Council meeting when the 5-member panel approved the extended moratorium.

“We have to deal with this issue. And I’m going to support it,” the mayor said of the ban. “But we’ve been dealing with this for a very long time.”

City officials say they need more time to work through legal concerns and “stakeholders wanted additional input,” said David Ready, Palm Springs city manager.

“I certainly don’t think it will take a year, however,” Ready added.

In December 2013, Riverside County enacted legislation to set up a system for food trucks to be properly permitted and inspected, with the idea that each city would establish another set of rules regarding where the businesses could operate or other concerns. That move went into effect in April.

In March, Palm Springs passed a six-month moratorium on food trucks to give city officials time to draft an ordinance. Then in September, the council delayed taking any action on a draft ordinance until council members’ suggestions and comments could be included. The council extended the ban on food trucks until December. That ban has now been extended for up to 12 more months.

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