Planning commission expands Foley Family Wines 'Food Truck Fridays' schedule, allows up to six trucks and delegates routine approvals to staff

The Planning Commission approved an expansion of the Foley Family Wines seasonal Food Truck Fridays series at the Sebastiani winery (389 Fourth Street East), agreeing to expand the calendar of events for 2020 and to set a cap on vendors.

Staff background: Planning staff reported the Food Truck Friday event began in 2011 under a temporary use permit and that the applicant has historically complied with conditions, including use of on-site electricity (no generators), vendor business licenses and on-site supervision. The 2020 proposal sought to expand the series from six events to 11 events (May through September) with food-truck hours from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and the applicant’s initial submittal proposed three food trucks per event; staff recommended approval and asked that future similar events be reviewed administratively rather than forwarded to the commission because of the good compliance history.

Commission discussion: Commissioners discussed whether to allow three trucks (applicant’s request) or to permit up to six trucks as the site had accommodated in the past. Several commissioners noted there had been no complaints in the past four years and that the event appears to function well. Commissioners also discussed the impact of state and county public-health guidance related to the coronavirus (COVID-19); staff suggested advisory language could encourage the applicant to follow any state or county health orders, but that cancellation would follow mandatory public-health directives if they arise.

Decision and conditions: The commission adopted a motion to approve the application with the requestor’s expanded calendar and modified conditions allowing up to six food trucks per event (the applicant proposed three; the commission gave the applicant the option up to six). The approval allows the Planning Department to process future Food Truck Friday temporary use permits ministerially (administratively) so long as there is no substantive change; substantial changes (for example, outdoor amplified music or an increase to dozens of trucks) would be returned to the commission.

Outcome: Motion to approve with the six-truck maximum and administrative-processing provision passed on roll-call vote (unanimous). The approval included a categorical exemption as noted in the staff report and retained conditions: trucks must use on-site power, have valid City of Sonoma business licenses and comply with all conditions of prior permits.

Ending note: Commissioners asked staff to add advisory language about following county and state public-health guidance as the COVID-19 situation evolves, and staff will continue to monitor compliance and retain the authority to forward modified or problematic temporary use permits back to the commission.