Always wanted to operate a food truck? This might be the time to pursue that dream. The district is launching a pilot project this summer that will allow mobile food trucks to operate on its land.
Recent changes to the zoning bylaw paved the way for the restaurants on wheels to operate on roads, parking places, parks and fee simple lots from June 15 to Sept. 30 this summer.
District staff is open to many different locations but is highlighting some the public may not have considered, Neil Plumb, district real estate manager, told council on April 19.
Highlighted potential areas for food trucks include Nexen Beach, Darrell Bay, Fisherman’s Park in Brackendale, McNaughton Park in Valleycliffe, the airport, near Municipal Hall or near Quest University, in addition to other more obvious areas such as Brennan Park and O’Siyam Pavilion Park.
Excluded areas, according to Plumb, include The Spit and portions of Cleveland Avenue during beautification work by the district this summer.
As part of the same pilot project, the district is also looking for a specific submission for a food operation to be located on the Squamish Adventure Centre gravel parking lot. For this location, however, district staff is looking for a possible year-round operation. Eventually, the district plans to consider a structure on the land at this location, as opposed to a mobile food truck, according to Plumb.
The district will choose from among food truck offerings based on factors including menu diversity or innovation, availability of healthy food options, past experience, references and how the type of food truck fits with the desired location, according to the submission guidelines.
A fee of $1,000 for the season will be charged to each chosen food truck operator, who will also require a $300 business licence.
Plumb said district staff looked at different regions and found the policies governing food trucks were “all over the map.” Vancouver charges $1,123 per year, while Penticton charges $1,890 for four months of the summer season. Port Moody collects nothing for food trucks on its property but charges about $600 for its business licence, Plumb said.
“It just comes down to each community trying to establish a rate that they feel is supportable but is fair in terms of getting market value,” he said.
Karen Shard, who has operated the Carte Diem-Seize The Souvlaki truck in Squamish for almost a year at various locations, said she is excited by the new pilot project.
“I think it is awesome, actually,” she said. For Shard, the process of finding an approved location for her truck and getting through the bureaucracy at the district was frustrating, she said. The loosening of location restrictions for the summer will make it easier for other food truck entrepreneurs, she said. “Squamish is keeping up with the times,” she said, “Finally they see this as a plus.”
Other communities such as Vancouver and recently Whistler have created welcoming food truck cultures that draw people, she said.
More food trucks can only be good for tourists and locals alike, she said. “I would love to be able to host a food truck festival like they have in a lot of these communities,” she said. “You could get 30 to 40 food trucks to come up in one big area and let the party happen.”
Submissions for the pilot project must be received by Monday, May 9 at 4:30 p.m.
The public will have another chance to weigh in once initial selections are made, Plumb said. Final decisions on trucks and locations for this summer will be made at the end of May.
For information contact Nav Gill, district real estate coordinator, at 604-815-5024.
