Food truck issue ties City Commission in knots

For nearly two hours on Monday night, the Safety Harbor City Commission wrestled with proposed amendments to the city code that would define entertainment and amplified music and potentially relax the current restrictions on mobile food vendors in town.

Questions about how to gauge loud music, what constitutes entertainment and where is it permissible, as well as how, when and where mobile food vendors should be allowed to operate in town led to a lengthy discussion, with the food truck issue causing the most consternation among the five commissioners.

Currently, the city code allows mobile food vendors to operate, with a special permit, on private property in certain sections of the city where beer and wine is sold for on-site consumption between the hours of 10 p.m. and 2:00 a.m.

Some commissioners believe the restrictions should be loosened, allowing the trucks to operate in more areas and for longer time periods, while others believe the trucks should only be allowed in specific character corridors for limited hours.

“I think there’s a need in the community for food trucks, but again, in specific industrial areas throughout the city,” Mayor Andy Steingold said. “I think if you continue to move them throughout the city, instead of designate specific area, I think you defeat some of what we’re trying to do by sustaining some of our local businesses.”

“I agree,” Commissioner Cliff Merz added. “I’d like to try and keep it focused on the M1 (manufacturing) and industrial areas, areas where typically you’d have short, 15-20 minute breaks.”

However, other commissioners expressed different opinions.

“I am good within the SC2 having food trucks have later hours…until there’s (food) establishments in those districts,” Vice-Mayor Andy Zodrow said.

“I don’t think food trucks are going to compete with Main Street if they’re out in the SC2 and M1 districts.”

Commissioner Carlos Diaz concurred with the vice-mayor.

“I agree with you,” Diaz said. “I don’t think the food trucks are going to compete with other eating establishments. In fact, I’d like to see the hours widened up a little bit, from 8:00 p.m. till 2:00 a.m.”

Merz said they were dealing with two separate issues.

“One is morning food trucks in industrial parks, Monday through Friday. We’re all in agreement with that,” he said. “The other part is discussing what happens in the SC2 in the evenings and whether or not you can allow for food trucks not only in the SC2 but also in the downtown area and whether it makes an impact or not.”

Mayor Steingold stated he was opposed to having different rules for different sections of the city; his chief concern was allowing the restrictions to be loosened for one SC2 business in particular, Crooked Thumb Brewery, whose owner, Kip Kelly, originally petitioned for the code change.

“You’re talking about one specific area and one specific business and one truck,” he said. “I have a difficult time with that.”

On that point, Commissioner Janet Hooper concurred with the mayor.

“I have a hard time making it one over here and one over there,” Hooper said. “I still believe our restaurants deserve to have priority during the normal eating hours, whatever normal is.”

After taking public comments on the issue, a majority opinion quickly became clear.

“We support allowing more versatility,” Safety Harbor Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Susan Petersen said. “We think that it will encourage new and interesting types of businesses, and it will help make Safety Harbor an even more appealing destination than it already is.”

“I don’t really understand the restrictions of any specific area,” resident Aaron Bower said. “It seems as if that area of Safety Harbor where the brewery is…attracting more people to that area.”

“So whatever you do, please apply any rules equally to everybody,” he added. “I think we should embrace anyone in any of these areas who’s trying to bring development and cohesion to this area.”

Comments from the next two speakers tipped the argument in the favor of the pro-food truck crowd.

“Since the brewery came in and other businesses have opened up, I’m seeing a lot more of an increase (in business),” Louis Kinney, general manager of the Whistle Stop Grill located near Crooked Thumb, said. “The brewery has brought a lot of business to the area, business that was not coming to this area normally. Any day there has been a food truck there, I showed an increase in sales over my normal increase.”

“Not everybody eats food truck food. So allowing them or not allowing them, I don’t think will have that much of an impact,” he added. “We’re still getting what we need, and we’re still getting what we want. Allowing a food truck at the brewery…isn’t a big deal.”

“It’s just a matter of so much regulation,” Café Vino Tinto owner Kent Runnells said. “To regulate every little aspect is why we’re held back.”

“You need to worry about your merchants surviving,” he continued. “They’re getting smothered with regulations….People are trying to make things work, but every single step of the way, it’s a lot of regulation. I would urge you to try and loosen up a little bit on some of that and not pay lip service to pro-business, but try to create an environment that is pro-business, simply with less regulation.”

The comments, especially those from Kinney, appeared to carry some weight with the commissioners.

“What I found particularly interesting was Louis from Whistle Stop,” Commissioner Merz said, adding, “data always helps.”

“They’re the closest ones that would have an impact from it, and if they are seeing an increase, to me that provides additional info that having it there perhaps isn’t as bad as we think.”

Following more discussion, the commission ultimately recommended relaxing the restrictions by allowing food trucks to operate in any district in town from 3:00 p.m. until closing time, Friday through Sunday, and from 10 p.m. until closing Monday through Thursday.

Additionally, they agreed to incorporate language in the code allowing food trucks in the industrial district Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., as well as provide clarification on allowable entertainment and noise.

The changes will be submitted to the Planning and Zoning Board for approval sometime after the New Year, and will come before the commission for final approval after that.

Related content:

• Commission considers creating brewpub district in downtown Safety Harbor
• City sets up email address to get food truck feedback
• Mayor nixes potential brewpub district amid blowback from neighbors