By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Bowling Green’s mobile food vending ordinance is not exactly a recipe for success for food trucks.
Mac Henry would like to open a food truck business in Bowling Green, but told City Council Monday evening that its ordinance is too restrictive.
Henry, who lives just outside the city, said the ordinance limits hours of operation to 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and restricts food trucks to 150 feet from the throughway. The rules are “not very conducive to opening a food truck in this town,” he said.
Henry said food trucks are currently “a big part of the culinary innovation” going on in the nation.
City Council president Mike Aspacher said council is the body that would have to make any changes to the ordinance. He added that modifications would only be made after the ramifications are studied.
Council member John Zanfardino agreed with Henry that changes were in order.
“Right now our ordinance is totally prohibitive, if you get right down to it,” he said, mentioning the growing trend of food trucks. “I think it’s a coming thing.”
Council member Sandy Rowland noted the success of food trucks in Perrysburg, where the businesses set up one evening a week.
“It might be an opportunity to provide people with something to do,” she said.
After the council meeting, Henry said he doesn’t have a food truck operation now, but would like to get one started.
“I’d like to get into it,” he said. “I thought it would be a good opportunity to try something like that in my hometown.”
Henry said he realized mobile food businesses can be a “touchy subject,” since they are seen as competition for brick and mortar restaurants already in business. But food trucks offer young people a chance to break into the business, he said.
“Ultimately, if you’re a young individual and you don’t have that much capital, it’s a good way for Bowling Green to give a young person a chance,” he said.
Also at the meeting, Mayor Dick Edwards told city council that he would like them to pass a resolution dedicating the former school site at West Wooster and South Church streets as a green space.
The community has waited a long time for the city to take action, he said. “We’ve been through the eager part – now it’s anxious.”
“This is an important part of our future for our community,” the mayor said. Council plans to have a resolution ready for discussion at its first September meeting.
Planning Director Heather Sayler announced plans for the first public meeting for the Community Action Plan, on Aug. 30, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., in Crim Elementary School, 1020 Scott Hamilton Ave.
The plan is intended to advance goals from the city’s Comprehensive Land Use Update, by identifying city-wide neighborhood improvements, with a focus on the East Side.
Edwards said the meeting marks progress. “It does represent a significant step forward with the land use plan,” he said.
Municipal Administrator Lori Tretter said the educational campaign has begun for the city’s new trash bin rules. The city has created flyers, door hangers and warning stickers. The information will be distributed by staff and is available on the city’s website.
City officials hope the educational effort will prevent the need for many warnings to be issued, Tretter said.
Utilities Director Brian O’Connell said the city is trying some new technology to clean out old cast iron waterlines in the Pearl Street area. The process involves injecting an ice slurry in the pipes at hydrants. The icy-salt combination acts as a scouring agent to flush out build-up on the lines.
Door tags will be put on affected homes at least two days prior to the cleaning, since the water must be shut off and a boil order will be issued once the water is back on, O’Connell said.
Citizen Jennifer Karches asked the city to add a bike safety message to the electronic signs in front of the police station and on East Poe Road. The signs ask motorists to watch out for motorcyclists, but make no mention of bicyclists.
Karches also asked council if the city’s budget for next year includes any funding for bike infrastructure. Aspacher said it is too early to say now, but that council will consider the request and has been seriously discussing the Complete Streets effort.
In other business at Monday’s meeting:
- Edwards announced “today marks the start of a very busy week. Things are alive and well in Bowling Green.” During the week, Bowling Green City School students returned to the classrooms on Monday, 3,700 new freshmen are scheduled to arrive at BGSU on Thursday, and the 50th anniversary of the National Tractor Pulling Championships is expected to bring as many as 70,000 visitors to the city.
- The mayor said he and BGSU President Mary Ellen Mazey will be walking through neighborhoods close to campus, knocking on doors, talking to students on Friday afternoon.
- Council learned that a conference for Green Energy Ohio will be held Aug. 25 at Stone Ridge. Bowling Green’s new solar field will be recognized at that event.
- Tretter reminded residents that Mercer Road between Wooster and Poe will be closed to through traffic on Thursday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., as the BGSU freshmen move in. “Please be patient,” she asked.
- Parks and Recreation Director Kristin Otley said the new building at Wintergarden Park, with its restroom facilities, is being welcomed by park users.
- Otley also announced the city pool is only open on weekends now, since Bowling Green City Schools are in session and many of the lifeguards are now unavailable to work.
- Zanfardino reported that for the first time, some of the city’s Community Development Block Grant funding will be used to help people with down payments.
