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Somerset debates food‑truck policy: permit structure, parking at pool and deposit vs. fee
Summary
Council introduced a food‑truck permit policy to implement code; members raised safety concerns about parking at the pool during busy events, debated administrative authority, appeals, and whether to require a modest deposit rather than a fee; final details deferred to July.
Councilors discussed a draft policy to implement Somerset's existing code that requires permits for food trucks. Speaker 3 said the draft defines application requirements, review criteria and permit conditions and was intended to provide administrative procedures to implement the code.
A major focus was where trucks may locate near the pool while bridge repairs are underway. Speaker 6 asked whether trucks may cross the bridge or should park near the flower pots; safety concerns included heavy pots, bridge load limits, crowding of unsupervised children and maintaining handicap and emergency access. "We have a walkway...people crowd around a food truck," Speaker 8 observed, noting the potential public‑safety hazard during swim‑team events.
The town attorney (Speaker 5) warned of unintended consequences in drafting procedures: a written cause for denial can grant appeal rights the council may not intend; the code currently names mayoral approval while the procedure would empower the manager to act. Councilors discussed limiting the number of trucks, vendor selection, and whether to charge a permit fee, require a deposit or neither. Several councilors favored a small deposit to cover potential cleanup while declining a recurring fee; Speaker 1 summarized it as "a deposit, but no fee." The group deferred final adoption and asked staff to draft changes for the July work session, including clearer guidance on parking and documentation requirements.
