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CÏ-ry13 November 2013
To: Mayor Jan Marx and City Council Members
From: Deborah Cash, Executive Director
San Luis Obispo Downtown Association
AGENDA
CORRESPONDENCE
RED FILE
Re: Mobile Food Vendor Ordinance
The Downtown Association (DA) Board of Directors has followed this item ever since
the idea of an ordinance was first proposed to address the possibility that current
regulations on "food trucks" were inadequate when applied to the more evolved
phenomenon of sophisticated mobile restaurants.
Naturally, some of those DA members whose businesses could be negatively affected by
direct competition with non-brick and mortar vendors expressed that permitting such
operators allows an unfair advantage over those who assume hard costs and obligations
such as having to provide parking, restrooms, ADA, etc, and in the case of those in the
Downtown areas, Business Improvement District fees.
V/hile it was pointed out and understood that competition cannot legally be the basis of
denying these types of businesses, it remains-at least for DA members who operate food
establishments-a potential threat to their existence if some number of vendors begin
setting up shop in Downtown areas and siphoning off customers from established
businesses.
V/hile the DA Board understands that an ordinance update to regulate mobile food
vendors is necessary, the Board members felt that supporting any ordinance in this case
would appear to be supporting the idea of allowing mobile food vendors to conduct
business in the City and that would be unacceptable to those members potentially
negatively affected. Therefore, the Board voted to not support any ordinance applicable
to mobile food vendors.
CC SLO Downtown Association Board of Directors
Doug Davidson, Community Development
Michael Codron, Assistant City Manager