HomeMy WebLinkAboutFCS-14-023 - Food Trucks & Special Events Staff Report
I r finance and Corporate Services Department wvwuukitchenerra
REPORT TO: Finance and Corporate Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING: February 3, 2014
SUBMITTED BY: C. Tarling, Director of Legislated Services/City Clerk, 741-
2200 ext. 7809
PREPARED BY: Patricia Harris, Manager of Licensing, 741-2200 ext. 7854
WARD(S) INVOLVED: 9 & 10
DATE OF REPORT: January 20, 2014
REPORT NO.: FCS-14-023
SUBJECT: FOOD TRUCKS AND SPECIAL EVENTS
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City continue to licence food trucks as special events under Chapter 586
(Refreshment Vehicles); and further that staff continue to review this approach on an
annual basis.
BACKGROUND:
Over the past few years, mobile food trucks have become increasingly popular, both in number
and community interest. These trucks are generally geared toward the general public (as
opposed to canteen trucks that typically service construction sites) and travel to multiple
destinations throughout the province each year. They often provide very unique forms of food
offerings.
There are currently three similar issues presently being managed. They are:
• Street Vendors at fixed locations on public property which is covered by a separate by-
law and is the subject of a separate report being presented today
• Mobile caterers on private property which will be the subject of a new licensing by-law in
the near future based on Council's budget decision
• Food trucks on public property—the subject of this report.
REPORT:
Despite their popularity, mobile food trucks present three major challenges because they move
around the City and are permitted to locate anywhere.
1. It is difficult to ensure they are operating under appropriate business licences if they are
allowed to move around the City and enforcement is difficult if they are permitted to
locate anywhere in the City.
2. Waterloo Regional Health Services has expressed concerns with being able to do proper
health inspections. It is very difficult to perform random inspections on the truck.
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3. Mobile food trucks generate complaints from some restaurant operators concerned
about competition and the challenges of competing against businesses who have
significantly less overhead.
As a result, the City has tried to offer an approach that balances the desire from the community
to experience food trucks with the concerns of local businesses. Chapter 586 (Refreshment
Vehicles) allows food truck owners to set up in specific locations on private property provided
they have obtained the property owner's permission, meets zoning requirements and have
obtained a business licence. They are also required to be at least 200 metres from any licensed
place of refreshment and 400 metres from any refreshment vehicle. In the downtown core,
rather than provide an open form of licensing where food truck operators can set up shop in
specified locations, and on specified dates/times as has been done in Uptown Waterloo, the
City has integrated food trucks into a variety of event programs. In 2013, the City offered:
- 16 lunch hours on Thursdays with a food truck and live music
- 1 Food Truck festival on a Sunday in July (7 food trucks with approximately 5,000 event
attendees)
- 1 Food truck was included in each of the 4 Discovery Square events
- 1 Food truck was included in KidsPark
- 1 Food truck was included in 2 Art Markets
- 2 food trucks participated in G33K Art Show
There were also several other food truck events that took place across the City. The Kitchener
Fire Department sponsored several food trucks at an event in October and Children and Family
Services sponsored a fundraising event that included several food trucks.
In 2014, the City intends to offer:
- 16 lunch hours on Mondays with a food truck and live music
- 2-3 Food Truck festivals throughout the summer
- Integrating food trucks into as many appropriate events as possible, where the event is
not a major driver of restaurant traffic for Downtown businesses.
It is staff's intention to use a different format for any food truck festival moving forward. Rather
than focusing all of the activity at Civic Square, the food trucks would be spread along King
Street. This format is successfully used in the Sew Hungry food truck rally in Hamilton. By
spreading the food trucks out, existing restaurants get greater exposure to festival goers. In
Hamilton, bricks and mortar restaurants have found that the festival not only increases their
sales on the day of the festival but results in repeat customers.
It is the opinion of staff that this approach continues to be the best method of balancing the
interests of both the community and businesses.
Licensing fees are considerably lower for special events than for a stationary refreshment
vehicle. Licensing has worked with special events staff to permit a food truck to obtain one
special event licence for a number of dates if they can provide them when they first apply.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
Community Priorities — Dynamic Downtown
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It is the City's goal to provide for a vibrant, busy downtown full of special events and unique
experiences to attract more citizens to the area.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
In 2013 there were 3 refreshment vehicles licensed to be located on City property from
approximately April 1 to November 30. The licence fee per vehicle was $1,890.00 and provided
$5,670.00 in revenue. The licence fee for special events in 2013 was $237.00 per event.
Licensing fees for food trucks at City events in the downtown core amounted to $2,350.00. Of
that amount, $1,499.00 was subsidized by the Special Events budget with the owners of the
participating food trucks paying the remaining licensing fees.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
The community has been informed of this report and recommendation by virtue of the public
posting on the City's website the week prior to the meeting.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: D. Chapman, Deputy CAO and City Treasurer, Finance and
Corporate Services
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