New guidelines are in place to allow food trucks to operate in Okotoks.
The Town approved changes to its business licence bylaw during its council meeting on April 24. The updated bylaw lays out new rules for food trucks and expands when and where they can operate. Otherwise known as mobile vending units (MVU), a food truck could be a vehicle, towable trailer, cart, bicycle, table stand or any mobile unit that provides food service.
Previously, food trucks were allowed to operate during markets, trade shows or special events, said Josh Welz, economic development specialist with the Town.
“This opens up those parameters to allow them to operate more broadly in the community, but with specific restrictions," Welz said.
The new bylaw will address concerns brought up by the Okotoks business community, while placing fewer restrictions on food trucks, he said.
New in the bylaw, food trucks will be able to operate on a public roadway if invited by a hosting business, and the food truck sets up within 30 metres of that business. Food trucks must have the Town’s approval to set up on public property other than a roadway.
Additionally, all food trucks must sign a contract with the Town before they are permitted to operate.
The contract lists additional rules like operating hours and areas food trucks are not allowed to operate, among other requirements.
As part of its engagement process when developing the new rules, Okotoks Economic Development sent a survey to over 1,200 local businesses. The survey garnered 39 responses, with 66 per cent in favour of MVUs operating in the community.
The survey identified competition with local brick-and-mortar businesses as a concern. That issue was also raised by Coun. Rachel Swendseid during council's discussion.
Swendseid was concerned about competition from non-local food trucks, and food trucks operating in proximity to other businesses. She asked if there were guidelines in the event an invited food truck set up near a similar storefront business.
Anti-competition guidelines were considered but not put in place, Welz said.
“We didn’t want to preclude the downtown or Elizabeth Street,” he said. “Because if we were to do that, and add sort of an anti-competition piece to it, there really wouldn’t be many areas for MVUs to set up."
Swendseid said she feels that an improperly placed MVU could take business away from a local establishment.
“If it’s non-local MVUs coming into the community, I do believe that we have put a challenge in front of our storefronts that continue (to try) really hard to operate,” she said.
Mayor Tanya Thorn said although there is a perceived belief that food trucks compete with local storefront businesses, in her experience, food trucks attract people to an area who otherwise wouldn’t go there.
“There (are) many people that choose to come downtown, or come and experience a mobile vending unit, because of what that mobile vending unit is, and they wouldn't choose to come and eat at a local restaurant,” Thorn said.
The Town also looked at food trucks policies in other municipalities, including Calgary, Airdrie and Chestermere.
The updated bylaw was passed in a 4-2 vote.
