The county is trying to help people in Avalon understand state-mandated requirements for permits to sell food and refreshments at local events, according to Terri Williams, assistant director of Environmental Health, a division of the county’s Public Health Department.
Last week, Avalon officials announced Los Angeles County would now require community event organizers to get permits to serve food. Applications for permits are available at the Avalon Recreation Department office.
The county is trying to help people in Avalon understand state-mandated requirements for permits to sell food and refreshments at local events, according to Terri Williams, assistant director of Environmental Health, a division of the county’s Public Health Department.
Last week, Avalon officials announced Los Angeles County would now require community event organizers to get permits to serve food. Applications for permits are available at the Avalon Recreation Department office.
The issue of permits for serving food at community events apparently came up during a March 28 conference call between representatives of the city of Avalon, the Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce and Environmental Health officials.
The cost of permits depends on many variables, including the number of food vendors and number of people who attend events.
Williams said the health agency discussed several issues during the conference call. She said the agency had contacted city officials to discuss how the Health Department could communicate better with the city. Sometime during the discussion, the issue of serving food at community events came up and, according to Williams, Avalon officials were not sure how many people understood the requirements.
“These are state requirements, not local requirements,” Williams said.
“The requirements that are there are there to ensure nobody gets sick,” Williams said.
Williams said that the county wasn’t aware of any violations of health regulations. She said that, for whatever reason, events were going on without permits. “It’s just that sometimes they get forgotten,” she said.
Without the permits, it was not known if the food served at community events was prepared properly. So Environmental Health representatives went over the requirements with Chamber and Avalon representatives during the late March conference call. She said the call was scheduled to make sure everyone understood the requirements.
Williams was apparently unable to provide an estimate of the cost of a permit because of the variables. She said the lower the risk to public health, the lower the fee. Risk factors include the number of people expected to attend an event and the number of food vendors. Prepackaged chips and sodas would present a lower risk than barbecued hamburgers. (As reported last week, the individual food vendors at a community event would also have to get permits.)
Another issue that came up was what Williams called illegal food selling. She said it usually happens in cities, with a truck selling food in a parking lot. Sometimes individuals cook and sell food on a beach.
Where does the money go? Williams said money from the permits goes into a fund to pay for the whole Environmental Health program.
There are fee exemptions available for some nonprofits. Williams said it would be worthwhile for a nonprofit to visit the Environmental Health website and look up the agency’s definition of nonprofits.
She also said that not all events would require a permit. A church, for example, could provide food to members only without a permit.
Williams said Environmental Health doesn’t have an inspector permanently stationed on the Island. Rather, Avalon is covered by Environmental Health’s San Pedro office. She said one of the reasons the agency contacted Avalon was to ensure Avalon was properly covered.
“I think we’re good,” Williams said.
“I would say we have a good working relationship with the city of Avalon,” she said.
For more information about Los Angeles County Environmental Health, a division of the Public Health Department, visit http:publichealth.lacounty.gov/eh.
