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Independence, MO —
After hearing concerns from business owners on the Square in recent weeks, the Independence City Council struck a compromise Monday night in changing part of the City Code.
But first, council members made an amendment before voting unanimously to approve the changes to the food vendor cart portion of the code. That amendment placed an exemption on the Square, leaving “the Square in control of their own destiny,” said District 2 Council Member Curt Dougherty, who proposed the original code changes to city staff.
The addition states that mobile food units may not operate within the defined area of the Square, unless owned or operated by a business within the same defined area of the Square.
In early August, when the ordinance had its first reading before council members, Susan Walter of Serendipity Bed & Breakfast had expressed concern about vendors on the Square. She’s had a presence on the Square since 1977, adding that she used to run a bricks-and-mortar restaurant and “knows the hard work that goes into them.”
“I can’t see a need to bring in any extra food places,” Walter said in early August, adding that she provides visitors with a list of the restaurants available on the Square. “I’m not understanding the reasoning there. I am so thankful that we have a dozen restaurants on the Square now, because there have been times when we’ve only had two or three on the Square at a time.”
The changes to the City Code involving the use of mobile food units, Dougherty said, had been “a long time coming” and will “do good things for a lot of businesses.”
Separate business licenses will be required for mobile food units of businesses operating as self-contained food preparation units or out of a location not in Independence.
The units also may not obstruct pedestrian or vehicle traffic, and they cannot sell food items within 50 feet of a restaurant, deli, cafeteria or other eating establishment during its hours of business. As an exception, the food items can be sold from pushcarts are owned and operated by a restaurant within that zone.
Use of the mobile food units on private property requires the proper business license, health permit and written permission of the property owner. To operate them on public property, the vendor must receive permission from the directors of the Parks and Public Works departments.
After hearing concerns from business owners on the Square in recent weeks, the Independence City Council struck a compromise Monday night in changing part of the City Code.
But first, council members made an amendment before voting unanimously to approve the changes to the food vendor cart portion of the code. That amendment placed an exemption on the Square, leaving “the Square in control of their own destiny,” said District 2 Council Member Curt Dougherty, who proposed the original code changes to city staff.
The addition states that mobile food units may not operate within the defined area of the Square, unless owned or operated by a business within the same defined area of the Square.
In early August, when the ordinance had its first reading before council members, Susan Walter of Serendipity Bed & Breakfast had expressed concern about vendors on the Square. She’s had a presence on the Square since 1977, adding that she used to run a bricks-and-mortar restaurant and “knows the hard work that goes into them.”
“I can’t see a need to bring in any extra food places,” Walter said in early August, adding that she provides visitors with a list of the restaurants available on the Square. “I’m not understanding the reasoning there. I am so thankful that we have a dozen restaurants on the Square now, because there have been times when we’ve only had two or three on the Square at a time.”
The changes to the City Code involving the use of mobile food units, Dougherty said, had been “a long time coming” and will “do good things for a lot of businesses.”
Separate business licenses will be required for mobile food units of businesses operating as self-contained food preparation units or out of a location not in Independence.
The units also may not obstruct pedestrian or vehicle traffic, and they cannot sell food items within 50 feet of a restaurant, deli, cafeteria or other eating establishment during its hours of business. As an exception, the food items can be sold from pushcarts are owned and operated by a restaurant within that zone.
Use of the mobile food units on private property requires the proper business license, health permit and written permission of the property owner. To operate them on public property, the vendor must receive permission from the directors of the Parks and Public Works departments.
