Food trucks rules, new budget on Oak Ridge Council agenda Monday night
Oak Ridge City Council members on Monday night are scheduled to take their second - and perhaps final - vote on the proposed 2022-23 budget, including increasing water and sewer rates by 8.4%. Other items of interest on the meeting agenda include the first public hearing and reading of a city amendment that would set regulations for food trucks and food truck parks in Oak Ridge.
The council meeting will be at 7 p.m. Monday in the Municipal Building courtroom.
Last August, a company organizing food truck rallies in Oak Ridge stopped, saying that meeting city regulations was too expensive. Two rallies took place at 125 E. Main St. in Oak Ridge near the intersection with Wilson Street, across from the TownePlace Suites by the Marriott Knoxville Oak Ridge hotel and behind CVS Pharmacy.
As reported in The Oak Ridger last August, Dale Akins, president of The Chef's Workshop LLC, stated in an email that he stopped the rallies because meeting city regulations was too expensive. He said the city had sent his company a memo with requests concerning issues. The city shared with The Oak Ridger what it stated was in this memo, which listed fire code issues among others. City officials stated there were three fire code failures at the first food truck rally, but all food trucks met the requirements of the International Fire Code, adopted by Oak Ridge, by the second rally. City officials said that showed meeting the safety requirements was doable.
The Chef's Workshop continues to do food truck rallies in nearby cities.
"The city desires to promote economic development through the encouragement of vibrant entertainment alternatives, including accommodating the popularity and growth of the food truck industry," states the introduction to the proposed food truck and food truck park requirements up for vote Monday.
Among the requirements under the new code amendment for food trucks:
If a food truck operator has been issued a mobile food unit state fire permit from the State Fire Marshal’s Office demonstrating fire safety and electrical code compliance under state law, the operator can operate within Oak Ridge without getting a food truck permit from the city. However, if the operator doesn't have the state permit, he or she must get a city permit.
The operator must fill out an application and pay a fee of $50 to the city. The application requires that the operator get a business license in accordance with state and local requirements and the truck must pass a fire inspection. The permit is good for 12 months and after that the operator can get it renewed, with re-inspection of the truck for $25. The permits are good only for the food truck that was inspected and can't be passed along to other trucks owned by the same operator.
Other requirements for operation include that areas set up for people to dine nearby - such as tables and chairs - not encroach on the public right-of-way and be removed when the truck leaves; that ample trash and waste disposal facilities be available for the truck and customers and the operator dispose of the trash and waste themselves; that the operators have written permission from the property owner or the city if the truck is to be parked on private or city property; that the trucks not impede vehicle or pedestrian traffic; that the trucks must operate in a location with accessible restroom facilities, fixed or portable, for use by its staff and customers; that truck placement must obey all applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations and policies such as the city’s zoning ordinance, noise ordinances, stormwater regulations, business regulations, electric code and fire code.
For the food parks:
There must be a designated manager for the park who is responsible for organizing food truck vendors, cleanliness of the site and complying with all rules and regulations.
Permanent restroom facilities must be provided and available for customers, vendors and employees. Porta-potties won't meet the requirement.
Citizens can speak during this and the second public hearing, which will be held at a future council meeting. The council would have to give its OK to the amendment twice before the new rules would be enacted.
New year's budget, utility fees
As reported earlier, the new budget - which goes into effect July 1 if approved - includes pay raises for all city employees and an 8.4% increase in residents' water bills Oct. 1, and the same percentage increase in sewer bills in October 2024.
Interim City Manager Jack Suggs has said most residents will see an increase in their water bill of $1.49 to $4.59 per month based on use; likewise the monthly bill for sewer customers in October 2024 would go up $2.21 to $6.81.
He said most residential customers can estimate their future water and sewer bills by looking at their current bills and increasing them 8.4%.
For commercial customers with a 1-inch meter whose usage is 100,000 gallons per month, their bills would increase $53.66 for water and $94.34 for sewer.
On Oct. 19, city officials broke ground for construction of a new $78.3 million water treatment plant. The old water treatment plant - which is still being used - was built by the government in 1943.
Suggs previously explained that the city has asked the Tennessee's State Revolving Fund Drinking Water Loan Program to finance a portion of the costs for the water treatment plant construction. The city also has asked for a loan from the State Revolving Fund for a sewer project.
In turn, the state has notified the city that to financially qualify for the $25 million loan, the water and sewer rates would need to generate another $1.52 million by the time the loan reached the repayment cycle.
Suggs and Mayor Warren Gooch have pointed out that the city water rate hasn't increased since January 2018, and the sewer rate January 2019.
City employees pay raises
For the city of Oak Ridge government's employees, pay raises of at least 7% are included in the proposed budget, plus funding for 2% step pay increases for employees based upon performance, and updates to the compensation plan. The city employs 412 full-time workers.
Last summer, City Council approved a compensation plan that included 5% across-the-board pay increases for all employees and a special 4% pay hike for police officers. It came about following several meetings at which citizens, staff and council members complained about city employees' struggles in keeping up with the cost of living.
The proposed budget can be found by clicking the Finance button on the city website, oakridgetn.gov. The proposed budget does not include a property tax rate hike.
Donna Smith is The Oak Ridger’s news editor and covers Oak Ridge area news. Email dsmith@oakridger.com. Twitter: @ridgernewsed.
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This article originally appeared on Oakridger: Food trucks rules, new budget on Oak Ridge Council agenda Monday night
