HomeMy Public PortalAbout2021.09.24 Special Meeting Minutes
MINUTES
McCall City Council
Special Meeting
McCall City Hall -- Legion Hall
VIA TEAMS Virtual
September 24, 2021
Call to Order and Roll Call
Work Session
Adjournment
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Mayor Giles called the special meeting of the McCall City Council to order at 9:00 a.m.
Mayor Giles, Council Member Callan, Council Member Maciaszek, Council Member
Nelson, and Council Member Nielsen all answered roll call.
City staff members present were Anette Spickard, City Manager; BessieJo Wagner, City Clerk;
Erin Greaves, Communications Manager; Michelle Groenevelt, Community Development
Director; Brian Parker, City Planner; Chris Curtin, Information Systems Manager; Traci Malvich,
Human Resources Manager; Vlatko Jovanov, Network Administrator; Dallas Palmer, Police
Lieutenant
WORK SESSION
AB 21-242 Discussion Regarding Food Truck Code Amendments
nd
During the July 22 City Council Work Session regarding business licensing, Council members
expressed a preference for managing food trucks through land use code. The purpose of this work
session is to get more specific information on the desired outcomes of food truck regulation.
City Planner Brian Parker presented the work session regarding food trucks, he discussed the value
of having food trucks in the community, and what other communities are doing to regulate food
trucks.
Planner Brian gave examples of questions that have come up with staff:
Developed Lots – Do we want to require hard surface parking for the food truck only, for
required parking, or to require the food truck be associated with another active business
onsite?
Operating Locations – Should food trucks be allowed to operate on public right-of-way?
If so, should additional permitting requirements be put in place? Should they be permitted
by right/administratively/conditionally to operate within different zoning districts?
Scenic Route – Should food trucks be allowed to operate within the Scenic Route overlay
zone?
MCCALL CITY COUNCIL Page 1 of 4
September 24, 2021 Special Meeting
Temporary Merchandisers – Should other types of temporary retail merchandisers be
regulated in the same way as food trucks?
Council Member Maciaszek commented that he appreciates the discussion and looking at
opportunities to allow food trucks and have them in a way that is beneficial to town makes a lot of
sense. As it pertains to zoning Council Member Maciaszek did not feel that food trucks should be
allowed in residential areas and that they should stick to commercially zoned areas.
Council Member Nelsen does not believe that food trucks being in competition with local brick
and mortars should be an eliminating factor. In terms of scenic route, there should be some caution
in allowing food trucks on the scenic route, but we should treat them all equally as possible. Safety
issues also need to be considered when determining locations especially around ID-55.
Council Member Callan believes that our current regulations of temporary vendors are in good
condition. As for food trucks, the idea of a central location allowing food trucks for a period is a
great idea. Council Member Callan agrees with Council Member Nelson regarding safety.
Council Member Nielsen asked about the current standards for processing food truck requests and
if they must be on private property and if they need to have a vendor permit. City Clerk BessieJo
Wagner confirmed that vendors must be on private property and have a vendor permit and in
addition the vendor is required to get permission from the property owner. Council Member
Nielson feels that a food truck court would need to fall under similar regulations to a brick-and-
mortar business. For a single operation, the current process is restrictive enough since vendors are
not allowed to set up on a property without permission.
Mayor Giles commented that we don’t want to overregulate and need something McCall specific
and something in the middle ground of regulation. Mayor Giles echoed the safety concern of other
Council Members.
Council Member Callan commented that it is important to define a food truck as operating within
its unit and not having to cook outside of their vehicle giving the example of a grill outside of the
truck in some cases. Having a food court shouldn’t necessarily need to be a developed lot.
Council Member Nelsen stated that trying to look from the eyes of vendor he realizes that different
vendors may have different location needs based on what they serve and using a food court might
not be best, using an example of serving breakfast compared to lunch. The City should keep in
mind the locations that can help limit traffic and encourage walking or biking to lunch.
Council Member Nielsen brought up the example of a hotdog stand on a sidewalk asking what the
consideration would be for that situation or an ice cream truck operation that goes through
residential neighborhoods. Clerk Wagner mentioned that there have been inquiries on ice cream
trucks and the city would currently require a peddlers permit for door to door, but our code does
not address the situation well. Council Member Nielsen would like to see how we can allow any
untypical dining such as food trucks to utilize the sidewalks or right of way because it would
eliminate a barrier. On the other hand, we don’t want to create a situation full of temporary vendors
in unsafe areas.
MCCALL CITY COUNCIL Page 2 of 4
September 24, 2021 Special Meeting
Council Member Nelsen mentioned the difference between Schwan’s delivery and an ice cream
truck going through the neighborhoods. Clerk Wagner noted that Schwan’s is considered a
requested service in the business regulations code whereas an ice cream truck would need to be
flagged down and not a previous order being delivered.
Planner Parker has seen other communities address ice cream trucks with regulations against
parking for more than 10 minutes in a residential zone.
Community and Economic Development Director Michelle Groenevelt has understood that the
council wants to support these businesses and from a staff discussion level it has been a discussion
directed towards a proactive approach instead of a reactive approach with a goal of making the
processes inexpensive and relativity easy.
Council Member Nielsen asked staff opinion on the current processes and regulations regarding
other temporary vendors. Direct Groenevelt commented that she has heard concerns in this
discussion regarding the scenic route and safety, but it is not the goal to create regulations that are
not necessarily needed.
City Manager Anette Spickard brought up concerns that had been raised in relation to why vendors
can be exempt from certain regulations that brick and mortars have to follow, noting that it is
important to define these regulations and make it clear what is considered temporary.
Council Member Callan commented that the drive thru concept is something that is a regulated
and lengthy process, and a food court should steer away from the concept of a drive up and steer
towards customers parking and walking up to be served. Food trucks should also be required to
move ever so often as they are designed to be a mobile business.
Council Member Maciaszek feels that a lot of the concerns brought up can be addressed by
providing a food truck court whether that be on private property or city property.
Council Member Nielsen feels it is important to keep the ability for single vendors who do have
permission from a property owner and comply with current regulations to set up if food court
regulation come to fruition and not force vendors into the food truck court only. Council Member
Nielsen would also like to see easing regulations around push carts and the ability to utilize city
sidewalks for those types of vendors.
Manager Spickard asked Director Groenevelt if that would fall under a concessionaire agreement
where the city would advertise for several vendors during a specified time to apply for use of city
property as a pushcart vendor. Clerk Wagner noted that the concessionaire agreement is used
currently for commercial operations on city parks. Director Groenevelt is hearing that the Council
wants more definition than what is currently in code without being over regulated.
MCCALL CITY COUNCIL Page 3 of 4
September 24, 2021 Special Meeting
ADJOURNMENT I
Without further business,Mayor Giles adjourned the meeting at 10:03 a.m.
4,- ec., , V % /,e,:e&54 .,ve:fiej
ATTEST: *
. f SWA N 9 _Robert S. Giles, Mayor
..®a •t w
Le44A-€ - 0 i
BessieJo Wa er, City C •*,, .,l„D' itoA O�`��
MCCALL CITY COUNCIL Page 4 of 4
September 24, 2021 Special Meeting