Alpena council adopts broader ‘transient business’ rules to include mobile retail

Council voted to adopt Ordinance 26-519, amending the City of Alpena’s zoning rules to replace a narrow “food truck” definition with a broader “transient business” category that can include goods, wares, merchandise and services. Planning staff presented the ordinance at second reading and said the planning commission reviewed the draft in June and July before forwarding it to council.

A planning representative (Planner, S13) described the new definition as “any structure, vehicle, or trailer designed as a complete and transportable unit and used as a transient business to sell, prepare food and drink… goods, wares, merchandise, or services from a stationary location,” and said the planning commission intentionally avoided overly specific restrictions so the ordinance could accommodate varied business ideas. Proponents told council the change creates low-cost entry points for entrepreneurs while opponents had raised concerns about competition for existing brick-and-mortar downtown businesses and the need for oversight.

Applicant Sarah Starkey told council she had drafted the text amendment and asked for support to “foster entrepreneurship and a different way to partner with local businesses.” Another downtown business owner, Corey Canute, said the proposal could act as an incubator: “I look at that and I say we’ve already demonstrated, you know, as a community that we support startup, small business, giving them opportunities to test out what it is that they have in mind,” he said.

Council subsequently moved to adopt the ordinance and to repeal the existing Chapter 18 Article on transient merchants. The council vote recorded multiple affirmative responses and the motions were approved. The ordinance expands the permit framework the city will use to allow mobile retail and other transient businesses; staff said the ordinance can be amended later if unforeseen problems arise.