Meetings Ahead
Thursday, Feb. 20
Commission on Disabilities, 3:30 p.m., Town Hall
Monday, Feb. 24
Zoning Board of Appeals. 5:30 p.m., Town Hall
Tuesday, Feb. 25
Select Board, 5 p.m., Town Hall
Conversation Starter
Food Truck Questions
At its Feb. 5 meeting, the planning board discussed a proposed zoning bylaw change on the operation of food trucks that member Paul Kiernan thought was too lax. The change was drafted by Town Planner Jeff Ribeiro.
Kiernan questioned the idea that food trucks might be allowed in every zoning district. “If we’re allowing it in the residential zone,” said Kiernan, “anyone can apply for something in their front yard and leave it open all summer.”
“Apply for,” said Chair Anne Greenbaum. “Licensing is done by the select board.”
“How do they say no?” replied Kiernan. He argued that food trucks in residential areas should be restricted to pre-existing nonconforming commercial uses. “By limiting it, we don’t have everybody and his brother having an oyster bar, and next door they’re selling homemade fudge brownies of various kinds.”
“My understanding is that this was simply to get this use into the bylaw because the approach taken has been that by its absence it has been allowed,” said Ribeiro. “This would formalize the existing practice. The discussion we are having now would be a change from the existing practice, so it may warrant more input from the public and from food cart vendors.”
Kiernan disagreed. “Food carts are neither defined nor permitted under our zoning bylaw,” he said. “This is an attempt to take what is currently illegal and making it legal. There have been permits given out, and if you look at zoning, they’re not allowed.” —Edward Miller
