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District of 100 Mile House addresses food truck concerns

Several food vendors attended the District of 100 Mile House's Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 28

The District of 100 Mile House had a vigorous and long discussion about food trucks during the Tuesday, Jan. 28 Committee of the Whole Meeting. 

In attendance during the discussion were several local food truck operators who came as a united front to observe the proceedings and voice their concerns. Chief among them was opposition to a rumoured price increase for the business license to operate a food truck and clarification on the use of private property to park their food trucks. 

Coun. Dave Mingo, who chaired the meeting in the absence of Mayor Maureen Pinkney, moved the matter up to the top of the agenda. Coun. Donna Barnett began by recommending council not increase the cost of their business licenses from $250 to $500, as some of the vendors had been worried about. 

"At $250 we are basically in line with the other communities staff found. Other communities do have some regulations for food vendors in public spaces, but public spaces are the only ones we can really worry about. Private property is private property and what private property owners do, so long as they comply with the bylaw, is totally up to them," Barnett said. 

Barnett proposed that council consider designating a space in the Centennial Park parking lot for one food vendor to set up during the spring and summer months. This space would be available only during days when major events were not happening in the park and they would need the extra parking. She suggested that district staff look at how Prince George has handled a similar situation.

As far as the use of the South Cariboo Rec Centre, which the district operates, Barnett noted that would have to be discussed by the South Cariboo Joint Committee, which is made up of district of 100 Mile House councillors and members of the Cariboo Regional District. 

Mingo and Coun. Jenni Guimond and Coun. Marty Norgren all agreed the rates shouldn't be increased, but questioned how a space in Centennial Park's parking lot would be allocated fairly between the food trucks. Norgren quipped he wanted to avoid any "fist fights".

During a later question period when the food truck owners got to address council, the councillors were assured that vendors would handle it among themselves. GBR owner Natalie Cox requested council consider designating two spots in the parking lot rather than just one. One could be for food while the other could be for an ice cream truck, she explained.  

Council then turned to the question of the use of public property and private property for food trucks, especially when it relates to large events. Most of the councillors seemed in favour of a hands-off approach to private property, noting food trucks setting up in business parking lots should be between the property owner and the food truck owner. 

"We have such a small town and many restaurants paying huge taxes and you have nine food vendors which is really unbelievable," Barnett remarked, with Mingo adding it's a sign of the times. 

When it comes to events, however, Barnett said it will be up to the volunteer organizations running them to decide what, if any, food trucks they will allow. She also noted in the case of events that utilize private property, if the property owners are involved, those event organizers would determine how that property is used. 

Director of Finance Sheena Elias also asked council several questions regarding the policies around food trucks. She noted the current bylaw they fall under was not originally written with food trucks in mind. Staff are currently required to collect picture ID for all mobile vendors, mobile vendors are required to provide vehicle insurance and all food trucks need liability insurance on public or private property. 

"Right now everyone would have to have insurance, public or private, that question comes up why we need insurance if they're not going on municipal property?" Elias said. 

Council agreed with Elias they should get rid of the picture ID requirement and mandating vendors provide their vehicle insurance, reasoning that is the domain of ICBC. They also decided against creating new forms for food vendors to fill out to attend an event or use private property, with Barnett, Mingo and Guimond being of the opinion that they should keep things simple and not create more paperwork.

"So no permission required? As long as they're on private property they're dealing with the private property owner and if they're on public property it would be a pre-defined space," Elias confirmed. 

During the question period, the various food truck vendors quizzed council and staff about several issues and concerns, including when they needed to get their business licenses. Elias said the mobile vendor business license does not need to be bought in January and the district plans to come up with a clearer guide on what people need to secure a license each year. 

Cox especially asked the council several clarifying questions on the overlap between the rights of private property owners and organizers of community events. She noted she received a lot of flack over the summer when she set her food truck up near Hot July Nights, despite being on private property away from the main event area. 

"I am just wondering if that will happen again because I was on private property, well away from anything I could damage," Cox said. "That hurt quite a lot and I wonder if it will happen again?" 

Adding to the confusion was the fact the 100 Mile House Wranglers' burger wagon, which raises funds for the team, was allowed to set up in the middle of the event. Barnett said that the Wranglers' burger wagon has been coming to Hot July Nights since the event's inception. 

During a several-minute back and forth between Cox, Barnett and the other food vendors it was hammered out that if private properties agree to be a part of an event like Hot July Nights, the organizers would decide how that space is used on those days. Cox and the other vendors requested the area be clearly defined going forward, while Barnett, who is a member of the Hot July Nights organizing committee, said she wants to work with them this year to avoid a repeat of last year, noting council does want to shut down business. 

She said she and Pinkney would like to set up a food truck food court located just outside of the show, which will protect the vintage cars and allow the food trucks to be part of the event. The majority of the food truck vendors seemed open to this idea.

Council ultimately voted to have staff research the concerns of the food truck vendors further and return to them with recommendations at a later council meeting. It's a result that Chilcotin Chills co-founder Coree Francisco and Molly Fish and Chips owner Paul Kingston were both satisfied by, noting they felt council embraced them and their concerns. 

"It was important for us to come together and hear what they had to say. It really worked out wonderfully and it's nice to feel embraced because sometimes you feel like a bit of an outcast as the food trucks that have to drive around," Francisco said. 

Kingston and Francisco explained the food truck vendors attended the meeting after they were unable to renew their business licenses in January because the district was reviewing them. Kingston said a rumour started going around the district would raise the cost of a business license of a food truck vendor to $500 and restrict where they could go, which led to them all deciding to attend the meeting to find out what was going on. 

"There was a lot of talk about raising our fees and we already pay the most of anybody in town (for business licenses). Regular fee in town is $80, we pay $250," Kingston remarked. "And we only work six months of the year." 

Kingston noted he has been operating a food truck for 15 years, first in and around Victoria on Vancouver Island and most recently here in the South Cariboo. While he is happy that 100 Mile House is not raising the cost of a business license, he added it is still high for the size of the community. In Victoria, he said the cost for a license is $100 and covers most of the southern part of the island. 

That aside Kingston reiterated he feels council is embracing the food truck vendors rather than going against them, noting the creation of a designated spot in Centennial Park is especially welcome. 

"(The meeting) was very informative. It wasn't the way we all thought it was going to be," Kingston remarked. 

In the future Kingston and Francisco both said they hope council will be more transparent about any new changes to food truck vendor business licences. They also expressed interest in working with Barnett to make the food truck food court a reality.

"We're here for the community," Francisco said. "I think we're all looking forward to opening this year and being more of a part of all the additional events going on. It will be interesting to see how things change and morph over time and embracing us certainly gives more to the community, as it does to us as business owners." 



Patrick Davies

About the Author: Patrick Davies

An avid lover of theatre, media, and the arts in all its forms, I've enjoyed building my professional reputation in 100 Mile House.
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