Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Most city businesses favor food vending

Chamber survey reveals 63 percent approval


By TREVON MILLIARD
Express Staff Writer

Ever since the words "food vendors" was first uttered, Ketchum restaurateurs have united to fight the proposal of allowing such businesses in the new town square.

They've arrived in droves at every city meeting slated to discuss the issue, arguing that food carts wouldn't spur business for the city and create a revitalized downtown, and would hurt them.

What does the rest of the town think?

The Sun Valley-Ketchum Chamber & Visitors Bureau sent a survey to all of its business members on April 25, and the results are in. Restaurant owners were unsurprisingly against vending 16 to 1, but 72 percent of all other businesses favored food vendors, equating to 78 businesses out of 108. The chamber said the lone approving restaurant is in Stanley.

When the votes of all businesses—including the 17 restaurants—are tallied, the vendor-favoring percentage drops to 63 percent. And different business sectors have varying perspectives.

The survey showed about 70 percent of retail and professional-service businesses favoring food vending in the square. About 80 percent of recreation and nonprofit companies support vending. The lodging sector was split 5-5. Out of 20 businesses not falling into any of these categories, 75 percent voted for vending.

The City Council already decided on April 19 to move forward with allowing food vendors in the square, despite protest from dozens of restaurateurs.

"It's clear that food works," said Councilman Baird Gourlay. "We just want vitality. We're trying to get people out of their houses."

The decision is up to the council because a 1983 city ordinance currently prohibits vendors on public land, and would have to be amended. The square along East Avenue, next to Atkinsons' Market, is a mix of city- and Urban Renewal Agency-owned land.

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But the council didn't take restaurateurs' concerns lightly. Mayor Randy Hall and Gourlay said the answer lies in compromise between the demands of restaurant owners completely against vending of any kind, and people who are for competition and vending to invigorate all business.

To cater to restaurateurs' concerns, the council also said rules need to be outlined—with the help of restaurateurs—that keep vendors from competing with them. Possible regulations include only allowing brick-and-mortar restaurants to operate vending carts.

However, restaurateurs have publicly said they want nothing to do with vending.

Dotty Sarchett, owner of Wrapcity, said during a City Council meeting that building and operating a vending cart is a "pain" not worth taking on. Plus, she said, it's an unnecessary extra cost in this economy, when restaurants aren't making much money.

This dominant perspective was reflected in the chamber's survey, in which 13 restaurants said they didn't want to operate a vending stand in the square. Three restaurants didn't respond, and one, a Bellevue-based business, said it would like to sell food there.

Ketchum Planning Manager Stefanie Leif said the new rules would likely require vendors to get a city permit costing $500 for six months or $725 for a year, which is what vendors now pay for operating on private land.

Trevon Milliard: tmilliard@mtexpress.com




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