Board OKs rezoning request for food truck

Aug. 9—LENOIR — The Caldwell County Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 to approve a rezoning request from applicants who plan to operate a food truck on their residential property.

During the Caldwell County Board of Commissioners meeting on Monday, Aug. 8, Planning Board Director Shelley Stevens presented a rezoning request for a parcel of land to be rezoned from Residential-Agricultural to General-Business Zoning.

The applicants and owners of the property in question are Daniel Alcantara Mendoza and Carina Ibarra Martinez. This property is located in southwestern Caldwell County off of Connelly Springs Road. The site for the proposed rezoning is currently a field on the western portion of the property with a home on the eastern side. The property is nearly an acre, and the surrounding zoning is also General-Business (retail, service, and offices uses) to the south and northwest, with more Residential-Agricultural properties to the north, east and west.

The applicants are interested in placing a food truck called Antojitos Mexicanos Karisma on the rezoned property. Currently, the food truck is on an adjacent General-Business parcel owned by their neighbor.

Having reviewed the Comprehensive Plan and the potential impact on public health, safety, and welfare, the Planning Board recommended approving the rezoning.

During the public comment period, the commissioners listened to and asked questions of Stevens, county attorney David Lackey, and the applicants.

"Are there any structures on this property?" Commissioner Robbie Wilkie asked.

"Right now, there is a house," Stevens said, "and that is a legally valid thing to be there. [The applicants] are aware that if they were to tear down the house, they wouldn't be able to build a new house there. Also, if they left the house for more than six months, then that would be a use that wouldn't be allowed on the parcel any longer."

Commissioner Jeff Branch asked Stevens why the applicants were requesting a rezoning when their food truck is already placed on a commercial piece of land.

"If I had to guess, it might be so that they could put it on their own property," said Stevens, "because they don't own the General-Business property, they just got permission to place it there."

After Commissioner Donald Potter asked about the applicants' future plans for the property, Lorena, the daughter of the applicants, spoke on her parents' behalf.

"I'm in barber school right now," Lorena said. "So we maybe later put the barber shop there or something. That's really what we're interested in, too."

Church closed the public hearing to call for a vote, but members of the board still had questions and concerns.

After a moment of thoughtful silence, Potter said, "My concern is, if they decide not to keep the food truck, what other business could be put there that might not be suitable for the area, especially with so many churches within a rock's throw?"

Stevens produced a list from which she read a number of examples of allowed businesses, including, but not limited to, animal hospitals and kennels; billboards or off-premise signs; bowling alleys or skate rinks; commercial cemeteries; food stores, fruit stands, or produce markets; governmental offices and facilities; motels or hotels; parks and playgrounds; and retail sales. A number of these allowed uses would require additional conditions be met.

Potter also asked about the logistics of preparing and cooking the food in or outside of the truck.

"We have to cook it somewhere where they allow us to, like a kitchen or a restaurant," Lorena answered. "We go to a restaurant, cook it there, and then we bring the food to the truck, as well as the water and everything. We have to go get it somewhere else, dump the water somewhere else. We can't do anything at the house."

Moreover, Lorena explained that the food truck has not been inspected yet because they are not cooking any food in the truck at the moment.

Wilkie wondered whether a septic system needed to be installed on the property.

"They're not required because they don't provide seating," said County Manager Donald Duncan.

With no additional comments or questions from the board, Church called for a vote. The request was approved with only Church voting against.

"Thank you again for all your work and all your questions," he said.

"Good luck to you guys out there," said Potter. "Hope the food's good."

The Antojitos Mexicanos Karisma food truck will serve authentic Mexican food such as quesabirria, tacos dorados, sopes, and more. The food truck will be open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. They will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

In other news, Clay McCreary presented to the board a resolution in support of naming a scenic byway "John Muir Parkway in Caldwell County." McCreary has presented this proposal to several communities in Caldwell, Watauga, and Avery counties, including Elk Park, the city of Lenoir, and Blowing Rock.

The Caldwell County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to adopt this resolution as presented.

"I feel very confident that we will have the same level of support [in the other communities]," McCreary said. "By the end of this month, all this is going to getting submitted to the state along with those local resolutions of support."