Ceres City Council reverses the approval of a food truck court. Here’s why

The Ceres City Council has overturned the Planning Commission's decision to approve a third food truck plaza.

The decision goes against city staff’s recommendation.

“The city received an appeal letter post the approval, and the two issues raised are not typical issues on an appeal,” staff members said during their presentation at the City Council meeting Monday evening. “They weren’t challenging the findings made or any CEQA [California Environmental Quality Act]” issues.

The appeal letter — written by Ceres Grub Hub co-owners Andy Sanchez, Amarjit Singh Malhi and Deep Gill — said, “I am currently constructing a grub hub here in Ceres and was promised no more than two would be allowed before I invested into this project.”

Ceres Grub Hub received approval in April 2024, and two more grub hubs were approved at a meeting in July. The appellants were not concerned with the approval of Sanghera Grub Hub at 3125 E. Service Road, but were against the approval of Truck Stop Grub Hub at 1379 E. Whitmore Ave. — less than two miles away from theirs on Farm Supply Drive.

The city staff presenter said they “cannot speak to a prior conversation with the applicant, but the current ordinance does not have a limit on the number of grub hubs.”

Ceres Planning Commissioner Gary Condit told The Modesto Bee on Tuesday that since Monday’s City Council meeting, the city has set the intention to limit the number of Ceres grub hubs to two. “That will be formally enacted with a change to the ordinance at the next Ceres City Council meeting,” Condit said.

Another concern raised by the appellants was that the Truck Stop Grub Hub, proposed by Ashley and Vito Ranuio, was approved for a commissary, alcohol and live music, whereas Ceres Grub Hub was not.

The approved site of Ceres Grub Hub is too small to have those amenities and a commissary was not included in the submitted plans, city staff said.

A commissary is an on-site place where food truck owners can empty their food waste, grease and trash as well as wash their trucks/trailers and clean their cooking areas. The appeal of a commissary is that it allows food trucks to stay at the grub hub overnight per city ordinance.

In addition, city staff said the Ceres Grub Hub applicants are able to apply for a conditional use permit for live music. But they cannot hold an alcohol license because they own Sharps Cannabis Co. next to the grub hub and hold a cannabis license. Holding both licenses on the same property is illegal under the Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act and California Business and Professions Code 26054.

There was back and forth at the meeting regarding whether the cannabis dispensary, at 4030 Farm Supply Drive, is on the same property as Ceres Grub Hub, at 4040 Farm Supply Drive. The city said that the grub hub sits in the parking lot of the dispensary and cannot be accessed without entering the dispensary’s site.

After hearing public comment that residents and other business owners thought three grub hubs in Ceres would be “redundant,” as well as continued concerns regarding the availability of parking and the project’s plans for live music and alcohol, the City Council approved the appeal with a 4-0 vote.

“I’ve heard from both sides, and I’ve heard some comments from the public, and I feel like we’re not being fair and consistent with the information that we’re sharing out,” Councilmember Cerina Otero said.

What’s next for both grub hub locations?

While Ceres Grub Hub co-owner Amarjit Singh Malhi said “the City Council made the correct decision,” Truck Stop Grub Hub applicant Ashley Ranuio was not satisfied.

“I haven’t had much time to process the outcome,” she told The Bee on Monday night. “All I can say is that it’s extremely disappointing.”

Condit said the Ranuios cannot resubmit a grub hub project due to Ceres’ intention to set a two-grub hub limit and that they will have to change their direction of they want to develop that land.

As for Ceres Grub Hub, Singh Malhi said some of the food trucks are waiting to operate pending inspections. He is planning a soft opening for Thursday, Sept. 18.

Acknowledging that “it’s a tough time for businesses right now,” Singh Malhi said he is offering affordable rent for food truck owners at $1,000 per month. Interested owners can contact Ceres Grub Hub at instagram.com/ceresgrubhub.

Dominique Williams

The Modesto Bee

209-253-9007

Dominique Williams writes about new business, restaurant and retail developments for The Modesto Bee. She is a Ripon native and a graduate of Sacramento State.