BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL CONTINUES TALK ON FOOD TRUCKS

  

Brenham City Councilmembers continued discussion today (Thursday) on potentially revising city policies as they relate to mobile food vendors.

The council heard from city staff on the city’s current mobile food vendor permitting process and reviewed some options the city could pursue to possibly expand the presence of food trucks in town.

Development Services Director Stephanie Doland said a recent meeting of a mobile food vendor task force, which was formed after a council workshop in February, led staff to a consensus that city ordinances need to be updated and more permit options need to be offered to food vendors.  She also said the creation of food truck parks should be considered.

 

According to Doland, there are currently seven mobile food vendors in the city.  Two of those vendors have been allowed to temporarily park overnight downtown on North Douglas Street for Country Sunshine and South Park Street for Home Sweet Farm.  The vendors are currently permitted to park Wednesday-Sunday in city right-of-way on a trial basis while an ordinance is drafted.

Doland offered several suggestions for potential solutions: offer grant incentives for private property improvements; create a public-private partnership for a food truck park downtown; or allow mobile food vendors in right-of-way only for special events and temporary sale of services.

Doland also said there are concerns that need to be kept in mind with food trucks that are parked in city right-of-way, including accessibility for pedestrians and vehicles, their proximity to brick-and-mortar restaurants, and the appearance of the trucks when compared to the rest of downtown Brenham.

City Attorney Cary Bovey said the city can say it has a certain number of spots available for food trucks downtown in order to limit the amount of them downtown, but cannot do the same throughout the city.

Tourism and Marketing Director Jennifer Eckermann said from the viewpoint of Main Street Brenham, the city should prioritize its existing mobile food vendors and make sure there are not too many food trucks in the downtown area.

 

Suggestions offered by the council included allowing food trucks to park in city right-of-way on certain days of the week and creating a parklet or other accommodation for existing food trucks to utilize right-of-way space.

Keith Hankins, co-owner of Ant Street Inn and Main Street House, asked the council to look at the big picture when making a decision on the matter, and to give due consideration to brick and mortar restaurants in order to allow them an even playing field with food trucks.

At the end of discussion, Mayor Milton Tate recommended that the topic go back to the task force in order to continue drafting an ordinance.  Another public meeting will be held once the task force is ready to present a report to the council.

Also at today’s meeting, the council:

• Approved the purchase and an equipment financing proposal for Self Contained Breathing Apparatuses (SCBA). The estimated cost for the SCBAs is $402,128.  Interim Brenham Fire Chief Rhea Cooper said the fire department has applied for an Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) to offset the cost of the SCBAs, but if the city receives the grant, the funds will not be awarded until July or August.  The city will finance the purchase of the SCBAs with a 7-year note from Brenham National Bank at a 2.1 percent interest rate.  Cooper said he has not gotten an answer on if grant funds can be used for reimbursement.
• Ratified the purchase of a replacement engine in the Brenham Fire Department’s Rescue 2 Unit for $58,176.
• Approved a professional services agreement between the city and CDM Smith, Inc. in the amount of $56,980 for engineering services related to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Water System Capacity Evaluation Study.
• Renewed the city’s Group Health Plan with TML Health Benefits Pool and establishment of funding rates for the plan year beginning October 1^st through September 30, 2022.
• Approved a resolution authorizing the execution of an agreement with TxDOT for the temporary closure of state right-of-way in connection with the 2021 downtown summer concert series (Hot Nights, Cool Tunes) to be held July 10^th, 17^th, 24^th and 31^st.
• Approved a recommendation from the Main Street Board for the appointment of Traci Pyle to Position 8 on the board for an unexpired term to expire on December 31^st. Pyle will fill the position vacated by Shannan Canales.