[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: Mobile Food Trucks 1st Reading questions

[kohls at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Becker, KC

Here are some of my questions regarding the first reading of Mobile Food Vending.

1. What is the rationale of requiring mobile food vehiciles to remain 200 feet from any other mobile food truck? I can understand the reasoning behind separation from bricks and mortar restaurants but not other trucks. 

2. I'd like to consider allowing the trucks to be able to go to parks in residential neighborhoods with certain requirements in place like they can't park in front of a house; they must provide trash receptacles or pay for extra trash pick up; they can only be there in limited hours, etc.  A brief survey of my own neighborhood tells me that there is wide support (in fact unanimous as of this writing) for this idea.  I heard that this was brought up at the Planning Board but city staff responded that there were concerns around liability for city parks. If this is really the concern, could you explain that more? How are rights-of-ways near city parks any different than city rights-of-way anywhere else? 

3.  I'd like to know if the $200.00 annual renewal charge is consistent with other types of licenses. For instance, do other business licenses ned to be renewed annually? Are the carts on the mall charged a $200 annual renewal? 

4. I question the requirement that before a permit is issued, that the city manager consult with the Downtown and Uni Hill Mgmt Division "to determine the appropriateness of sales activities within the commercial district based on the impact to the economic viability of existing businesses...." First, as I understand it, permits aren't issued for particular areas, so I'm not sure why one area's economic viability should limit the issuance of a permit. Second, this seems very subjective. Third, it doesn't require that the city manager actually show that the food cart will have an impact on the economic viability of existing businesses. Fourth, "exisiting businesses" is pretty broad. Are you only concerned about brick and mortar restaurants? Fifth, doesn't the economic viability of the food cart matter too? Can the food cart show that it could have a positive economic impact? Sixth, the economic viability of existing businesses in an area could be effected in lots of ways. I'm not sure why this one use has to bare the burden of increased competition. 
I could go on with my objections on this provision, but I think it's clear that I'd like to see greater rationale for this provision in particular. 

5. What about the idea of changing the distance to brick and mortar restaurants if the restaurant is a different type? I can see the concern with a mobile food truck that sells tacos near say, the Rio. But I don't see the issue if it's near say, Frasca and L'Atelier. 

Thanks! 

KC Becker
Boulder City Council Member