Whitefish considers mobile-vendor rules
New regulations for mobile food vendors are the focus of a Whitefish City-County Planning Board hearing on Thursday.
There are several food vendors that currently operate occasionally within city limits, usually late at night to cater to the downtown bar crowds, City Planner Nikki Bond said. They include a crepe bus, hot dog vendor, pizza trailer, a noodle stand and a tamale stand.
"The recent increase of inquiries into permanent or long-term locations for these vendors has brought up conflicting issues within the city zoning regulations," Bond said.
Because existing regulations are either nonexistent or vague at best, the City Council asked the planning staff to put together amendments to address temporary businesses, mobile vendors and the selling of wares not associated with a community event.
Vendors operating in Whitefish have done so with permits but without any real enforcement of city law. Some have parked along Central Avenue, taking up parking spaces. Others put their carts on the sidewalk, impeding public right of way, according to the planning staff report.
And a law on the books dating back to the espresso stand craze of the 1990s requires vendors to locate within a wooden structure that is architecturally designed.
There's also the issue or protecting existing businesses that operate at permanent locations and pay property taxes, plant investment fees, resort taxes and so on. Bond said the proposed amendments aim to help protect existing commerce.
The proposed regulations would limit vendor operations to no more than two days a week and no more than six hours per day. Vendors won't be allowed to operate in public right of way, public parking spaces, driveways or fire lanes. They also will need public liability insurance for at least $500,000 for injuries and property damage insurance for at least $25,000.
Vendor operations of more than 30 days must provide landscaping with a minimum of two planter boxes or two hanging plants per 50 square feet.
Food vendors will be limited to self-contained units or carts of 100 square feet or less.
The hearing for the vendor regulations originally was scheduled on May 21, but was postponed.
IN OTHER business, the board has three additional public hearings on tap:
n A request by Lyle and Nancy Kelch for a conditional-use permit to construct an accessory apartment attached to a new garage at 1003 O'Brien Ave.
n A request by North Valley Hospital to amend its 2004 medical campus neighborhood plan, which is an amendment to the 2007 Whitefish City-County Growth Policy. North Valley Hospital proposes to develop the open area north of the hospital campus with additional medical offices as market forces dictate.
n A request by the city of Whitefish for a code amendment as a housekeeping procedure to improve the application of conditionally permitted uses, including allowing music and dance schools and studios as a conditional use in the WR-4 zone and adding new development requirements as special provisions; amending the definition of professional office and personal services for clarification and providing a new definition of professional services; moving group homes and foster homes from a permitted use to a conditional use residential zones under the new title of community residential facilities.
The meeting begins at 6 p.m. Thursday at Whitefish City Hall.