Two of the projects the CID sales tax vote outlined were sidewalk cafes and curbside vendors. Both are ways to increase The District's reputation as a dining mecca and both serve to create a lively sidewalk culture downtown.
We are working with the city to explore specific policies for sidewalk cafes and food trucks. Specifically, we'd like to expand the hours in which sidewalk cafes are allowed to serve alcohol and we'd like to consider allowing food trucks to set up in selected metered spaces.
The CID Economic Development Committee will be considering these topics and we've also surveyed members about them as well. It should be noted that no specific policies have been approved by the CID--this is all part of a discovery process.
Based on our initial interest in food trucks, the city has decided to work on developing city-wide policies for these businesses. As such, we are pooling our efforts and hosting a joint meeting with the city and inviting interested parties. This is being done with the understanding that rules within the CID may be different than those outside the CID.
This meeting will be Friday, May 10 from 3 - 5 pm in City Hall, rooms 1A/1B. Invited will be members of the Economic Development Committee, food trucks, restaurant owners and others interested in attending. Both CID and city staff will be there as well to begin the discussion of this issue.
