Toledo Politics and Food Trucks in Downtown

quote=179005

According to the wording, the new rules only apply to downtown.

Excerpts from the proposed ordinance. - pdf file

ORD. ____-14

Enacting a new Toledo Municipal Code Chapter 746, “Mobile Food Vendors- Downtown”.

Summary and Background:

A proliferation of on-street mobile food vendors has necessitated the adoption of provision to the Municipal Code to insure fair, safe and orderly regulations. A new Chapter 746 will enact needed regulations of this activity.

Twelve (12) designated zones within Downtown Toledo will allow for mobile food vending operations. These zones are detailed below.

A mobile food vendor may apply for revocable street privileges that run for a twelve-months. The annual fee shall be $1,000.00. Payment is required prior to issuance of the revocable street privilege.

The city may issue no more than twenty (20) revocable street privileges for mobile food vending per year.

Whoever violates any provision of this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. Each day that any person engages in selling any goods without the proper permit/privilege, as provided in this chapter, shall constitute a separate offense.

The seven-page document contains detailed information on the definition of mobile food vendors, time and locations where the vendors can operate, the application process, and a long list of other rules.

Some links for a few of the food trucks:

Rosie's Rolling Chef

• http://rosiesrollingchef.com
• https://twitter.com/RollingRosies
• https://www.facebook.com/RosiesRollingChef
• Monday - Toledo Children's Hospital Entrance #3
• Tuesday - St. Clair and Madison - Levis Square - Downtown
• Wednesday - St. Lukes Hospital by Emergency Entrance
• Thursday - St. Clair and Madison - Levis Square - Downtown
• Friday - Toledo Children's Hospital Entrance #3

Grumpy's on the Go

• https://twitter.com/grumpysonthego
• https://www.facebook.com/grumpysonthego
• Tuesdays - Jaffe Jewelers - 4211 Talmadge Road - Toledo
• Wednesdays - Kazmaier's Market - 127 E. Second St - Perrysburg
• Thursdays - Maritz Research - 1740 Indian Wood Cir. - Maumee
• Fridays - Sautter's Market - 5519 Main St. - Sylvania
• Saturdays - 525 Market St - Toledo Farmers Market

The Displaced Chef Mobile Cuisine

• https://twitter.com/DisplacedChef
• https://www.facebook.com/thedisplacedchefmobilecuisine

Wanderlust Sandwich Co. Food Truck - (Ottawa Tavern's truck)

• https://twitter.com/WanderlustTruck
• https://www.facebook.com/wanderlustsandwich

Nov 12, 2013 - Toledo Blade - Food trucks provide moving downtown dining experience - "Some local restaurants savor results from fast-growing trend"

"Lisa Deeter, co-owner of Deet’s BBQ, center, takes orders from hungry customers in the company’s food truck in downtown Toledo."

It took awhile, but the food-truck phenomenon that has been blossoming in Ohio’s largest cities and other metro areas across the United States finally has motored its way to downtown Toledo.

For now, it’s limited to two or three trucks and a tent on St. Clair Street adjacent to Levis Square. They are there on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

But those involved in the mobile dining experiment are hoping to keep it going through the winter and possibly see it blossom next spring to give downtown workers and visitors some tasty cuisine while out for a noontime stroll in Toledo.

“What we’ve done is we’ve sold parking meters [along St. Clair Street] to whoever wanted to come down. Rosie’s did it, and then Bueno Vida, and then Deet’s,” said Bill Thomas, head of the Downtown Toledo Improvement District, a special assessment district created by downtown property owners to provide benefits within a defined 38-block area.

Bill Wersell, vice president of business development services for the Toledo Area Chamber of Commerce, which is helping the food-truck operators, said he was surprised the idea hadn’t been tried before.

“Food trucks are the fastest growing segment in the food-service industry as a whole," said Brian Reed, president of the fledgling Central Ohio Food Truck Association.

“We have areas in Columbus where restaurants can’t really make it, but food trucks are a perfect fit for the lunch crowd. And the technology has evolved as to what you can do on a truck,” Mr. Reed said.

Here's the part that Collins apparently wants to regulate.

Creating synergy

On a Tuesday last month, [Mayor Bell] stopped by to see the trucks at lunchtime and talk to customers about what they thought.

“We’ve been working on this for a while, but it’s great now that it’s happening,” Mr. Bell said. “A guy just walked past me and said, ‘I feel like I’m in Chicago!’ This is definitely something that hasn’t been done before here.

“I’m just enjoying the synergy this creates. We’re trying to invigorate Toledo,” the mayor added.

Downtown workers like the idea too.

“This is cool. It’s just nice to see something different downtown,” said Barb Nichols, a downtown worker who ordered food from Mr. Hodge’s Bueno Vida food truck.

“I just like it — period,” said Elaine Szilagye, Ms. Nichols’ co-worker. “It’s nice to get out of the office.”

“People are loving it,” Bob Deeter said.

The complaints:

However, not everyone is thrilled with the arrival of the food-truck experience.

Mr. Thomas of the downtown improvement district said he has fielded some complaints from downtown restaurants unhappy about the arrival of mobile competition.

A downtown ordinance says food trucks cannot operate within 100 feet of a bricks-and-mortar restaurant, and the location keeps them in compliance.

Mr. Thomas said once improvements to Promenade Park along the river are completed, the plan is to move the food truck vendors to Summit Street next spring.

“But I do think the food trucks have gotten some people out who wouldn’t have been out anyway. So, to some degree you can say the more the merrier, and you’re creating a lot of interest in the downtown,” Mr. Thomas said.

#toledo - #food