TO: Planning Commissioners
FROM: Beth Lindauer, Community Development Director
SUBJECT:
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Food Truck Park/Court Concept - Discussion and Direction
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RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
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Provide direction to staff on the development of a regulatory framework for food truck parks/courts.
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SUMMARY:
The Planning Commission has requested that staff research the concept of establishing a food truck park within the City of Red Bluff. For purposes of this discussion, a food truck park/court is generally envisioned as a permanent or semi-permanent location where multiple mobile food facilities operate from a common site and share customer amenities such as seating, landscaping, lighting, restrooms, parking, and potentially entertainment or other complementary uses. The concept is distinct from an occasional food truck gathering or special event. A permanent food truck park would function as an identifiable commercial use and would therefore raise land use, site planning, public health, fire, parking, traffic, noise, sanitation, and economic development considerations.
DISCUSSION:
Staff has reviewed approaches used by other California jurisdictions to identify common regulatory themes and to evaluate potential advantages and disadvantages of establishing such a use in Red Bluff.
The review of other communities indicates that food truck parks are generally established and operated as private commercial uses rather than as City-owned or City-operated facilities. The City establishes the applicable zoning, permitting, site development, health, fire, parking, and operational standards, while the private property owner or operator is responsible for developing and managing the food truck park.
A primary policy consideration raised by the food truck model is its relationship with existing restaurants. Food truck operators generally have lower fixed costs and may have greater flexibility in determining where they operate. These characteristics can create competitive advantages compared with traditional restaurants. Some jurisdictions specifically consider proximity to existing restaurants. Regulations in other communities have included separation requirements or discretionary consideration of the proximity of food truck parks to brick-and-mortar restaurants.
A policy designed solely to protect existing restaurants from competition could be difficult to justify as an appropriate land-use objective. By contrast, regulations addressing parking, traffic, noise, sanitation, hours of operation, lighting, and compatibility with surrounding uses are legitimate planning considerations.
STAFF ANALYSIS
A review of California jurisdictions indicates that food truck park regulations commonly address the following subjects: zoning, permit type, number of trucks, site plan, parking, restrooms, water/waste water, trash, lighting, noise, hours, fire and pedestrian safety, landscaping, management, alcohol, residential compatibility, and existing restaurants.
The location is particularly important because the economic development benefits of a food truck park may vary substantially depending upon where it is located. A potential concern is that a food truck park could occupy a vacant parcel while nearby commercial buildings remain vacant.
Food trucks generally have lower initial capital requirements than traditional restaurants. This can provide an entry point for entrepreneurs who may eventually transition into a brick-and-mortar location. Thus, the park could serve as a type of business incubator, allowing entrepreneurs to test a concept, develop a customer base, and determine whether a permanent restaurant would be financially viable.
The City’s existing regulations, RBMC § 25.198, currently regulate mobile food vendors, and food trucks may already be permitted to operate in a gathering capacity under the existing code, depending on the specific site, configuration, and nature of the proposed operation. Accordingly, any proposed food truck park regulations should first clarify what is already allowed under RBMC § 25.198 and identify whether additional standards are necessary for a permanent or recurring food truck court concept, rather than creating duplicative regulations.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
Should the Commission direct staff to prepare a future zoning code amendment, the appropriate environmental review will be evaluated at that time pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no anticipated fiscal impact.