By Gabriela Resto-Montero
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
UPPER EAST SIDE — Food-truck vendors would lose their permits if they accumulate three parking violations under a bill introduced in the City Council Wednesday.
The bill's author, Councilwoman Jessica Lappin of the Upper East Side, said that if passed, the city could suspend a food-truck vendor's license after two summonses for either idling or feeding a meter. A third ticket would mean revocation of the license.
The Councilwoman said her proposal is a way to enforce existing laws meant to keep the trucks moving in order to free up parking for people in the neighborhood.
"If you want to have a storefront, get a storefront," Lappin said. "Don't feed the meter."
Food truck vendors responded quickly to the bill.
Rob Fassenden, 33, sales manager at dessert truck Cupcake Stop, was circulating a petition against the measure Wednesday afternoon.
Moving around the city multiple times a day, as the bill would require, would kill the truck's sales, Fassenden said.
"We would go out of business," he said. "At 2 o'clock in the afternoon, where am I going to park this truck in the city?"
Hassan Aboubakr, 36, a worker at the Halal Food Truck, said the his truck stays in business by staying put at the intersection of East 86th Street and Lexington Avenue from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Lappin said that the Halal Food Truck had moved her to propose the bill. A dumpling truck and taco truck that routinely park at the East 86th Street intersection also prompted Lappin to push the legislation.
The councilwoman anticipates a strong turnout against the bill at a City Council hearing next week, but said her intention is to keep the trucks moving.
"As long as they abide by the laws on the books, this will not affect them at all," she said.
