Cochrane food trucks are back on the streets after council reversed a controversial decision made by administration last week to bar them from commercial areas.
Coun. Mary Lou Davis-Eckmeier put forward a motion at Monday’s council meeting to allow the two food trucks, Grilled and Awko Taco, to park on public roadways. The motion was unanimously supported.
“It’ll be great for us, we can park back on the streets and it gives us foot traffic and we need food traffic in order to be sustainable,” said Darcy Scott, owner of Grilled food truck.
“I think it is good for the food trucks and I think it is good for Cochrane and downtown.”
When the mobile food vendor pilot program launched last fall, on-street parking was prohibited and the food trucks were limited to a few parking lots throughout town. In May, the vendors were told via email and verbally the guidelines had been adjusted and they would be allowed to park on public streets. While the trucks were given approval, the development permit guidelines were not officially changed.
Administration revoked that permission at the beginning of August, due to “a number of complaints from local business owners.”
“If we could go back in time, we would make a new development permit – while we had a number of positive comments we also received a number of complaints and were bound by what we had the ability to enforce,” explained Drew Hyndman, senior manager of development services for the town.
Approval of Davis-Ekmeier’s motion will now allow administration to proceed with new guidelines.
“A pilot program is an opportunity to try new things and we should be able to expand,” Coun. Gaynor Levisky said.
“The more information we have the better and I think working with (them) is really important for a successful outcome … This can create new opportunities for each other, they don’t have to be seen as competition, there is an abundance of opportunity.”
Coun. Tara McFadden said she is excited to see what people in the town have to say about the program and Coun. Morgan Nagel, who Skyped into the meeting, said he was “extremely supportive” of the motion.
Mayor Ivan Brooker and Coun. Jeff Toews were absent from the meeting.
For more information on the program go to cochrane.ca/724/Mobile-Food-Vendors.
Where can food trucks park?
Food trucks in Cochrane can park on public roadways provided they are:-25m from existing restaurants-10m from any stop line, cross walk or any intersection-100m from any school site-150m from special events, unless participating in the event-Parking in according with Town of Cochrane traffic bylaw, the Alberta Traffic Act and associated regulations- And operating in compliance with all other vendor conditions and regulations.
