Committee OKs long-term permit for food trucks at Saint Elizabeth Hospital during cafeteria construction

The Community Development Committee voted to recommend approval of a special event permit allowing food trucks to operate on Saint Elizabeth Hospital property daily during an extended construction period. The committee’s advisory approval will move to the full City Council for final action. The hospital is renovating the fifth floor to convert the current cafeteria into 32 patient beds and is building a new cafeteria on the ground floor, according to Greg Anderson, director of community development. Anderson said the permit is intended to allow food service for visitors and staff while the new cafeteria is constructed; the trucks will not serve patients and patient food requires separate approval from the Illinois Department of Public Health. Under the application, food trucks would park in a single lane of the circle drive on the south side of the hospital, with entry from the east. Tables, chairs and indoor access to restrooms would be located near the main entrance; trash receptacles and a west-side water access point were also described in the site diagram submitted with the application. Hours requested are 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily for the tentative period listed in the application, Oct. 13, 2025, through March 31, 2027; staff noted the March 2027 date corrects an earlier erroneous listing. Staff recommended approval with conditions including that food trucks collect 9.35% in sales tax (8.35% remitted to the Illinois Department of Revenue and 1% to the city of O’Fallon), and that mobile vendors obtain a city mobile food vendor permit at least two weeks before first service. O’Fallon Public Safety will coordinate with hospital staff and weather outlets and reserves the right to suspend operations in dangerous conditions. Anderson said the permit is the unusual length for a special event permit, so the advisory committee is forwarding the recommendation to the full council. The committee approved the recommendation by roll call (Roach, Rosenberg, Parchment, Mylart, Campbell and Lotz voting yes); no public objections were recorded during the item’s discussion. The recommendation will be included on the next city council agenda for a final decision.