There is no mobile food court for Crystal River; municipality says it’s bad for local businesses. | Local news

Councilors Pat Fitzpatrick, Robert Holmes, and Ken Brown voted against the proposed zoning changes, saying they had been contacted by city residents and businesses, and many objected to outdoor food courts.

“I was undecided about this,” Brown said.

At his regularly scheduled city council meeting on Monday, he told the audience that mobile food trucks were a “great idea” and a good way to introduce new types of food to the city. businesses asked him to do it.

“This isn’t really what I think[about],” he told the audience, mostly what city dwellers and businesses think. “This is more important than I thought.”

Brown said residents opposed the proposal.

Brown’s concerns mirrored those of two other councillors who voted against the zoning change.

“This is not a level playing field,” Brown said, noting that real-site restaurant owners invest hundreds of thousands of dollars into their restaurants, while mobile food courts invest a tiny fraction of that.

He said food courts would hurt local businesses and potentially scare away restaurants that might want to open in the city in the future.

The zoning change would determine how mobile food courts would be designed and would include parameters such as bumpers from neighboring properties, minimum lot sizes, building heights, driveway dimensions, disruptions, and maximum number of trucks.

Supporters of the zoning change to allow food courts, Councilor Cindi Guy and Mayor Joe Meek, said the trucks won’t take business from local restaurants, but will bring more visitors to the city.

But amid the debate over whether food courts should compete with local businesses, Councilor Cindi Guy said, “As a councillor, it’s not my job to limit competition.”

The developer and builder Chris Ensing, who proposed the new zoning plan, wanted to build a food court on the northwest corner of Northeast First Avenue and Northeast Fourth Street in Crystal River.

The food court would house five truck vendors, parking, an outdoor gazebo, picnic tables and restrooms, and an employee dedicated to the site.

While Ensing acknowledged that restaurants cost more than a food court and could impose more taxes on the city, he said the council’s decision should not be based on the city’s income.

If his proposed food court business fails, “you’ll have a city park” about the proposed location, Ensing said.

But several local residents who oppose Ensing’s plan said the business was not consistent with the historic Crystal River and the food trucks would be an eyesore. In addition, customers said that they will create traffic and parking problems in their neighborhoods.

Jeff Countryman, owner of JC Wine and Koffee Bar on North Citrus Street, said his business already offers outdoor seating, and so do other businesses.

Like Brown, Holmes said he had received emails and phone calls from residents and that he would follow the advice of his constituents and vote against him.

Fitzpatrick said he was undecided on the matter but was eventually influenced by voters.

“We have to do what they (the residents of the city) want us to do,” Fitzpatrick said.

I am not suitable for this. I am not against it. You can string me up outside,” he said. “(But) if I had to vote today, I wouldn’t vote for that.”

As a councilor with no conflicts of interest on the matter, Fitzpatrick was required to vote for and against the new zoning to allow mobile food courts.

The vote against the amendment was 3-2.