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Neighbors raise safety and nuisance concerns at hearing on food truck permit for 2019 South Business Drive
Summary
Neighbors told the Sheboygan planning commission they are concerned about increased traffic, late-night patrons, public urination and property maintenance near the proposed food truck site; staff noted the ordinance places no specific hours-of-operation restriction for food trucks.
The Sheboygan City Planning Commission heard multiple neighbors on Dec. 8 about an application associated with 2019 South Business Drive, where the agenda listed Jake Slicker as the proposed food truck operator.
Jim Warner (1608 Union Avenue) told commissioners the area is already congested by a nearby taco truck and said another vendor would increase traffic in the alley. Claudia Vivicencio (1934 South 16th Street) said she lives directly behind the existing taco truck and described increased traffic, people urinating on private property and late-night patrons with alcohol, and said the situation makes her family feel unsafe. Denise Bowman (1612 Union Avenue) described property-maintenance issues she attributes to nearby businesses, including unshoveled sidewalks, garbage, trespass and homeless encampment activity, and said the corner “looks like the worst looking corner in the city.”
Commissioners emphasized that many concerns voiced relate to the site and current operator (Jake's Liquor and the existing taco truck) rather than the food-truck applicant personally. Jeff, planning staff, told the commission that under the current ordinance a food truck may operate temporarily on the site up to 12 days per year with conditional-use approval and that the code contains no specific hours-of-operation restriction for food trucks. A speaker who identified himself as Jorge described his waste-handling practices for the truck (two interior garbage cans, regular pickup) and offered operating-hour details in the hearing record; transcription of exact hours was inconsistent in the record.
Director Ziner said planning staff could meet with the applicant to discuss mitigation options if the commission wished to proceed. Several commissioners suggested staff follow up with the property operator and one commissioner recommended the applicant seek a different site. Neighbors were invited to remain after the meeting to speak with staff. The transcript does not record a final vote or action on this application.
Ending: The commission closed the public hearing on the food-truck application and discussed follow-up steps for staff; the transcript shows no final decision on the conditional-use permit.
