Reader Lisa Perry writes that Ramon’s Tacos in Planada, CA is her favorite local joint.

“The carne asada tacos are the best! The big chunk of avocado they put on the tacos is my favorite part! My co-worker likes the al pastor tacos and he says their salsa is what makes their food the best!”

I’ve added it to JLT’s YumTacos map — and recently have made additions in Washington, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.

If there’s a taco truck that you know about that’s not on this map, be sure to let me know, and ideally send us a photo and a brief description so we can check it out. Gracias!

In addition to the mother of all taco truck maps, Yum Tacos is also hosting a petition to relax the Sacramento City Council’s recent decision to basically outlaw taco trucks in that fair city. By restricting them to 30 minutes per location - the amount of time it takes to lock down, set up, and get the grill going - they’ve effectively made it impossible for any mobile vendor of hot food to do business. In addition to many hungry Sacramentans of all classes and races, Sacramento’s taco trucks specifically serve many second and third-shift workers - cops, hospital workers, warehouse employees - who don’t have any other choices available late at night. Please do take a few minutes to go and add your name to the petition!

My friends, taco trucks are not just under attack in Los Angeles, but also in Taft, Calif., just outside Bakersfield.

Apparently in the late 1930s, a replica of Sutter’s Fort (in Sacramento, Calif.) was constructed in the fair city of Taft. While it’s not immediately clear to me why a 19th century fort needed to be rebuilt 300 miles away in a small town of less than 10,000 people, that’s not the point here. The point here is that for now, a taco truck called Janie’s Mexican food is being allowed to stay, after being under threat by the city. Again, city staff alleged that it had an “unfair advantage” than traditional brick-and-mortar restaurants. How is selling a better product at a lower price “unfair” ? Please.

Here’s the Taft Midway Driller:

The business, which serves food out of a trailer, was in danger of being forced to leave its place in the Fort’s parking lot when Taft City staff decided it was not in compliance with city codes and had an unfair advantage over businesses in permanent buildings.

But the staff reversed their recommendation Tuesday night and the Taft planning Commission voted 4-0 to approve a precise development permit to allow the trailer to park at the Fort on weekdays to sell tacos and other Mexican food for at least one more year. The vote came after Commissioner Curtis Walchock offered a compromise - approve her permit for a year. By that time, City planner Lawrence Tomasello had told the commission, the city will have a new code to permit temporary business on an annual basis for up to five years.

If they approved the trailer with no time provisions, Tomasello said, she said have permanent status.

Tomasello quickly would staff would change it’s recommendation with that provision.

Just to be clear, when referring to the relevant portions of the California Vehicle Code and the Los Angeles County Code applicable to taco trucks, here is the actual text of the law:

California Vehicle Code 22455:

Vending from Vehicles

22455. (a) The driver of any commercial vehicle engaged in vending upon a street may vend products on a street in a residence district only after bringing the vehicle to a complete stop and lawfully parked adjacent to the curb, consistent with the requirements of Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 22500) and local ordinances adopted pursuant thereto.

(b) A local authority may, by ordinance or resolution, adopt additional requirements for the public safety regulating any type of vending from vehicles upon any street.
Amended Ch. 495, Stats. 1985. Effective January 1, 1986.

And the newly adopted Los Angeles County Code 7.62.070:

7.62.070 Peddlers of edible products from commercial vehicles-Moving location required when.

A person engaged in the business of peddling liquids or edibles for human consumption from commercial vehicles used for the transportation and/or the preparation of food, either retail or wholesale, pursuant to a license obtained pursuant to this chapter, shall not remain or permit such vehicle to remain in any one location for the purpose of sale or display of such liquids or edibles for more than 30 minutes in a residential zone, or 60 minutes in a non-residential zone, during any three-hour period and shall not return to any location within one-half mile of each prior location where the person sold or displayed liquids or edibles within said three-hour period. Said three-hour period shall commence upon the Peddler’s departure from the last location where peddling occurred. Any person described in this section, during all of the time which he or she is at any such location, shall maintain the location in a neat and orderly condition, pick up and dispose in a sanitary manner all debris, garbage, papers, litter and other things which detract from the sanitation, safety and appearance of such premises, and otherwise comply with the California Health and Safety Code. (Ord. 2008-0013 § 5, 2008: Ord. 92-0132 § 47, 1992: Ord. 8424 § 1, 1963: Ord. 8285 § 1, 1962: Ord. 5860 Ch. 2 Art. 12 § 604, 1951.)