By Susan Dickson
Staff Writer
CHAPEL HILL – Food trucks may be on the horizon for Chapel Hill, with a request from the Chapel Hill Town Council on Monday that staff develop draft regulations that would allow, within parameters, mobile food units in town.
The discussion stems from a petition last September by Lex Alexander, owner of 3CUPS café on Elliot Road, that the town change regulations to allow food trucks. Town regulations allow them downtown during town-sponsored events, such as Festifall, and on private property with special-events permits. Food trucks also park in the town’s park-and-ride lots during peak transit hours.
Carrboro and Durham allow food trucks within their jurisdictions, and Raleigh officials are considering changing regulations to allow the mobile food vendors.
Some local restaurant owners oppose allowing food trucks, saying they present unfair competition in an already very tough restaurant market.
Kendal Brown, principal planner for Chapel Hill, told council members that possible issues include how to collect taxes from food truck sales and the town’s inability to regulate the number of trucks in town at any given time. However, Brown said, the town could restrict hours of operation and specify spacing between vendors.
Council member Laurin Easthom said she would like to look at spacing regulations so that food trucks wouldn’t cluster in one specific area.
“I am sensitive to the businesses obviously that potentially could be affected, but I’m also thinking that, and I’m being convinced that, we’re looking at possibly two different [groups of] people: People who want to get a fast meal are going to use the food trucks and people who want to go in are going to use the restaurants,†she said. “I think they are interesting. I think they would add to the downtown and not detract from it.â€
Council member Donna Bell said she did not think food trucks would ultimately take away from restaurant business.
“I don’t believe that people dream of living their lives in a hot food truck, and it’s the ones that are good that will survive, that will possibly set up brick and mortar,†she said. “We aren’t known as the foodie city for nothing. We won’t eat just anything.â€
Bell added that the trucks could provide food for bar patrons during late-night hours when restaurants are closed.
Council member Penny Rich questioned how the trucks would be regulated and if the town would have to hire additional staff to do so.
“Who’s going to be up at 2 o’clock in the morning to check it out?†she asked.
Mayor Pro Tem Jim Ward said he would like to explore possible annual fees for the trucks, as well as incentives for vendors to use businesses in Chapel Hill to restock and clean their trucks.
Staff will return draft regulations to the council, with a possible September public hearing regarding the rules.
Ephesus/Fordham redevelopment
In other action Monday night, the board reviewed an Ephesus Church-Fordham Boulevard small-area plan and traffic analysis, which includes new and modified roads and the redevelopment of the area bounded by Franklin Street, Elliot Road, Legion Road and Ephesus Church Road to Colony Apartments and back to Fordham Boulevard.
The effort stems from a goal identified by the council to “enhance economic development efforts†and to create a small-area plan for the Ram’s Plaza area. Chapel Hill economic-development officer Dwight Bassett told council members the framework includes proposals for increased connectivity, additional green space and mixed-use development.
Council members said they were concerned that redeveloping Colony Apartments would remove needed affordable housing in the area.
“I’m concerned that we end up gentrifying it and we take an important slice of this community and remove housing opportunities for them here,†Ward said.
The council will consider including the plan in the town’s comprehensive plan at a June 13 meeting.