A 3-2 majority vote at Monday’s Town Council Meeting favored the use of food trucks at designated areas on town streets during recommended times Monday through Friday.
This resolution would be would also continue to allow food trucks to operate on private and commercial property as designated by the original ordinance.
Food trucks would not be required to be present every day in the designated areas to maintain their license, but could use the areas on a first-come-first-served basis. It was noted that parking begins to saturate the downtown area between 9:00 and 9:30 am and that food trucks could use that time to prep for their 10:00 am – 3:00 pm day.
The positive vote for a new resolution moved the process closer to finalizing details for a year-long pilot program that would allow mobile food vendors more access to downtown markets.
As Town Manager Bill Ingersoll stated at the beginning of the procedure, the original draft proposal was a blank slate to be considered and changed by the council.
Ward 2 Linda Kuiper, Mayor Chris Cerino and Ward 3 Sam Shoge voted for passage of the resolution. Ward 1 Councilwoman Liz Gross and Ward 4 Councilman Marty Stetson were the two dissenting votes.
“I do not believe that we should cede public property to one specific type of business,” Gross said, concerned with the possibility of opening the door to other business vendors. She also stated a concern over the loss of downtown parking spaces when vendors were operating.
Councilman Marty Stetson reaffirmed his original criticism of the plan. “I believe that it will hurt brick and mortar businesses and I haven’t reached that point where I think we should be renting out our streets for whatever reason,” he said. Stetson believes that vendors should be held to the original ordinance allowing food trucks only on private and commercial locations.
Final suggestions to be considered were the exact locations near Park Row and the north side of Fountain Park, including the possibility of a third location farther from town center.
It was also noted that, although the town can permit food trucks at these locations, the town could not reserve the areas for them and that vendors would have to claim their locations before early morning parking began.
Fees are still to be determined with the possibility of per diem fees for visiting food vendors.
Ingersoll also stated that basic background checks were recommended more for visiting vendors, not vendors already established in Chestertown.
Finalization of the resolution will take place during the next town council meeting.
John East says
Thanks for covering this! Chestertown could be a culinary destination. There are a lot of rural culinary destinations, why not Chestertown? Let’s help all businesses, brick-and-mortar, emerging, local food, local farmers and watermen! Twitter @LMFoodTrucksGo