By Jean Jacques Bohl
Last Tuesday, a group of Hailey restaurant owners met with Jeff Bacon, membership director of The Chamber of Hailey and the Wood River Valley, to discuss how food trucks affect their businesses.
Lisa Horowitz, community development director for the City of Hailey, and Bob Erickson, of the South Central Public Health District, attended the meeting held at the Wood River Sustainability Center. Tanya and Billy Olson, owners of Power House Pub & Bike Fit Studio, and Jennifer Schwartz, co-owner of daVinci’s Italian restaurant, voiced the concerns of Hailey restaurateurs.
There are approximately 27 businesses selling food during lunchtime in Hailey.
Three food trucks conducted business regularly in Hailey this past summer.
“It needs to be addressed,” Schwartz said. “There is currently no legal framework. Anyone who owns a truck can start selling. This takes business away from the brick and mortar places. Unlike Sun Valley and Ketchum, we are not a destination. We are a gateway city. There is a finite amount of customers in Hailey.”
“We have made an investment in the community,” Billy Olson said. “We need our money season.”
Erickson explained that the street food vendors have to follow specific hygiene and sanitation rules.
“There is no consistency due to the high turnaround of employees,” Erickson said. He added that doing daily inspections aren’t “realistic,” as they would be too time-consuming.
Horowitz said that the Hailey City Council will address the problem. She showed the attendees an ordinance draft already in the works.
“Reasonable regulation of vending on public ways is necessary to protect the public health, safety and welfare,” the draft states. It also says that regulation of vendors is “necessary to protect and conserve the economic base of the community, including property values.”
“The ordinance will address three situations,” Horowitz said. “The first one is special events such as the Fourth of July rodeo, and the antique fairs or Crosstoberfest.” Food trucks can apply for a permit to operate on the premises, she said.
The second is small-scale special events attended by more than 25 people but less than 250 that are held on private property, such as a fundraiser.
Vendors can apply for a permit up to eight times a year. The final situation will deal with food trucks operating for an entire season on private property, such as the Chevron parking lot. The new ordinance will be stricter and have more requirements, such as a city license that would cost up to $500, a complete site description, and proof of South Central Public Health District approval.
“The city council hopes to have everything in place by next summer,” Horowitz said. “There will be three public hearings before the council vote, so Hailey residents will have a chance to weigh in.”