Council hears draft food‑truck policy: limited park vending, eco‑zones and rotation suggested

Planning and parks staff presented a draft food‑truck policy intended to strike a balance between activating parks and protecting ecologically sensitive or quiet areas. Jonathan Zamora described a proposal that would limit food trucks in parks to event‑based or periodic presence (with specific paved 'eco‑zones' identified), require strict waste and maintenance protocols, and include design controls (muted signage, limits on idling and amplified sound). He also recommended incentives for electric or low‑impact vehicles, refundable cleaning deposits, rotating vendor slots or a lottery for high‑demand locations, and quarterly reviews with residents.

Council members raised questions about permit fees (annual vs per‑event), health‑department inspection requirements, how to prevent direct competition with brick‑and‑mortar businesses, and how permanent push‑cart vendors (for example, an ice‑cream cart at Leipour Park) would be treated. Staff said the parks component is an initial phase focused on parks; a broader city‑wide zoning or 'food‑truck zones' document will be combined with the parks policy and a single streamlined application form will be drafted for vendors. No ordinance change was proposed the night of the presentation; staff will return with a consolidated permit approach and more concrete fee and enforcement proposals.