Workshop on food trucks get spicy

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Nicky Boyette – City Council convened a workshop Monday afternoon before the regular meeting to discuss whether to allow food trucks to operate in the city. Three Planning commissioners were in attendance, and discussion covered a menu of perspectives though discord and contention sat ready to intervene throughout.

Chair Steve Beacham of Planning commented his commission had looked at the advantages and problems associated with food trucks relative to current City Code. They also considered ordinances regarding food trucks in other cities and eventually decided food trucks would be legal in the C-1 and C-2 zones, but there was no public property where food trucks could operate, so they would have to be on private property. Beacham also cautioned against giving up parking spaces to have food trucks, and advised against impacting existing brick-and mortar restaurants by maintaining a 200-ft. rule.

There was a bit of disagreement about what City Code said regarding food trucks at special events, but there was consensus they must clear up language in Code regarding special events.

Alderman Mickey Schneider commented she had long ago recommended food trucks be allowed to operate downtown in an empty downtown parking lot from 9 p.m. – 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and maybe Sundays on long weekends. However, she maintained there are now a couple food businesses near City Hall that would be affected by having food trucks right across the street. She also pointed out bars are required by Arkansas law to have a kitchen and the ability to serve food, though she has seen little enforcement of the law. Nevertheless, food trucks downtown would compete with the bars for food business.

Schneider claimed it is discriminatory not to allow food trucks within 200 feet of a standing restaurant unless there were also a 200-ft. rule that applied to the restaurants. She insisted the city would be setting itself up to a discrimination lawsuit.

No one else at the table shared her fear of a lawsuit. However, alderman James DeVito said existing restaurants pay property taxes all year-round, but a mobile food truck would not. However, he observed Eureka Springs is unique in how many restaurants per capita it has, and food trucks can be more than a place to get a snack. Some serve haute cuisine and would compete with any restaurant in town.

DeVito suggested a one-year regulated food court at the North Main parking lot as a way to bring interest to the arts and cultural district. “Getting people to visit North Main would benefit the whole town,” he maintained. The effect on losing parking there would be less dramatic than taking away parking spots downtown.

Not everyone agreed the North Main parking lot was the solution. Schneider called it “a damn little hole a mile down the road.” Others pointed out the North Main lot does fill up because the parking spaces are needed.

Alderman Joyce Zeller said that whatever they decide, someone would be impacted. The feedback she has heard is that people like food trucks because they are fun, cheaper and offer different food. “Whatever makes Eureka Springs sound like fun,” she responded, and encouraged council to give them a try.

Planning commissioner James Morris also thought food trucks could provide something for pedestrian traffic downtown, saying the group should look at whether there is a need for them and a benefit to the city.

DeVito stated that being a restaurant owner, he has more to lose than anyone else at the table, but is in favor of trying food trucks. He also said council would inhibit the ability of food truck owners to operate if it limited times of doing business, pointing out a solitary food truck in a parking lot on the highway would not be the draw that a well-regulated food court could be. He urged council to learn from what other cities have already gone to the trouble to learn.

Alderman Terry McClung reiterated the issue for Eureka Springs regarding food trucks is where to put them, and although he didn’t want to sacrifice parking, he could not think of any private parking areas that met their needs. He wondered if food trucks were even a viable idea based on the problems they were struggling with. He said he was not against them, but it was difficult to fit them in.

Mayor Butch Berry reiterated it appeared the group was in favor of food trucks but was bogged down with details. Comments were batted back and forth like shuttlecocks on a summer holiday until alderman David Mitchell suggested Berry pick three people to pull together ideas from the discussion or risk wasting an hour of hearty discourse.

Berry said he would get a group together for a discussion and set up another workshop, time to be determined.