Loading...
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