Stratford wants to know what people think about a proposed mobile food vendor bylaw
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The Town of Stratford is seeking public feedback on its draft street vendor bylaw, which proposes new regulations for the operation and permitting of food trucks within the municipality.
Under the proposed rules, mobile food vendors would be allowed in five town parks: Fullerton's Creek Conservation Park, Robert Cotton Park, Michael Thomas Waterfront Park, Pondside Park and Tea Hill Park, as well as a few commercial areas.
A public meeting is scheduled for Wednesday evening at Stratford Town Hall, and written comments can be submitted until noon on Friday, March 7.
Mayor Steve Ogden said the town wants to hear from both residents and key stakeholders, including people in Stratford's restaurant industry.
"We want to give a fair balance between, you know, more dining options for Stratford residents, but also being fair to existing property owners who have invested significantly in their dining establishments — bricks and mortar," he told CBC's Island Morning.
"We did put licensing fees in place to try to make sure that, you know, there was some fairness to existing property owners who pay taxes every year, and to level the playing field in that respect a little bit."
The bylaw includes licensing fees ranging from $75 to $1,500, depending on the type of permit. Mobile vendors would fall into two categories: Class A for motorized units and Class B for non-motorized units, with fees varying based on the category and length of operation.
Ogden said the bylaw aims to establish clear guidelines for food truck locations and the approval process, adding that applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
"We obviously wouldn't want, you know, someone's offering the same cuisine as an existing establishment or whatever. There's a number of aspects that we can look at."
Unless given special permission, food trucks would have to be closed between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. to minimize disturbances for nearby residents, he said.
Ogden said Stratford developed the bylaw after finding limitations with the provincial licence, which covered aspects like food safety but did not regulate operating hours and locations.
The town's planning group reviewed how other municipalities, including Charlottetown and Riverview, N.B., regulate food trucks. Ogden said this research helped shape a plan that should meet the needs of the community.
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