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Council approves conditional use for Southeast Old Missouri food‑truck court; sidewalk‑width waiver denied
Summary
The council granted a conditional use for a proposed food‑truck court (called 265 Food Court) with operating conditions and a variance for 11 vending units, but denied the developer's request to keep existing 5‑foot sidewalks instead of the wider sidewalks required by the master street plan.
SPRINGDALE, Ark. — The Springdale City Council on Jan. 28 approved a conditional use permit for a proposed food‑truck court at the southeast corner of Old Missouri Road and East Huntsville Avenue, but denied the developer’s waiver request to keep existing 5‑foot sidewalks rather than constructing wider sidewalks required by the city’s master street plan.
The resolution approved the conditional use (C‑2503) for the development identified in the packet as “265 Food Court,” granting the property owners — listed in the resolution as Lewis and Michael Villegas — the conditional use subject to conditions the planning commission recommended. Planning staff said the development will include individual water hookups for vendor stations, on‑site restrooms and an on‑site manager; staff also noted the developers were granted a variance allowing 11 mobile vending units rather than the usual limit of 10 (the 11th unit is designated for an ice machine on the west side of the property). The planning commission recommended approval of the conditional use and the council voted to adopt the resolution (vote recorded as 8–0).
Council discussion focused on operational controls and public safety: conditions include no operation between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.; no obstruction of parking spaces or pedestrian/vehicle flow; a minimum of three parking spaces designated for the food‑court use; visible display of any required health certificate; and trash‑ and noise‑management requirements. Staff said the property owner (the conditional use holder) is responsible for meeting the conditions on site; individual food‑truck operators must still obtain business licenses to operate at the location.
Separately, the applicants requested a waiver (W‑2504) to keep the existing 5‑foot sidewalks on Old Missouri Road and Huntsville Avenue rather than the master plan requirement (staff said at the meeting the master plan calls for a 10‑foot sidewalk along Old Missouri and an 8‑foot sidewalk along Huntsville, which is a collector). Planning staff told council the existing streets already have 5‑foot sidewalks, and the applicant requested to retain them. The planning commission had recommended denial of the waiver (7–1). After debate about pedestrian circulation and recent adjacent sidewalk upgrades, the council denied the waiver request (council vote recorded as 7–1).
The council also reviewed the large‑scale development site plan associated with the conditional use. Staff reported the development includes on‑site restrooms and office space to serve the food‑truck court, and that the owner had planned an on‑site manager and a trash‑management plan. The record shows the conditional use and the large‑scale development were reviewed together at planning commission and that council approval of the conditional use relies on the developer meeting the listed conditions.
The council’s actions leave the conditional‑use approval in place with the specified operational conditions; the denied sidewalk waiver means the developer must plan for the wider sidewalks prescribed by the master street plan if they proceed, unless a future separate waiver request is filed and granted.
