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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — APRIL 18, 2022 2 <br />but appreciated the short-term license. She would like to see where food trucks could be <br />expanded such as at her church in New Brighton that is allowing a food truck in their parking lot <br />and gaining revenue from renting the space to them. She felt Arden Hills should reduce the <br />constraints on food trucks and possibly gain revenue from renting out city park space. She felt <br />food trucks shouldn't be allowed for long lengths of time in residential areas. <br />Urbae Hall, 1991 Edgewater, felt the city had done a good job of making the ordinance strict but <br />there may be some room to open it up. However, she would like to see food trucks allowed in <br />residential areas for only a certain amount of time and a certain number of days. She wondered <br />the process to report violations, and what would the fine be for violators. Also, if they allowed <br />food trucks in parks how would they survey people that lived around the park to see if they were <br />OK with it. <br />Councilmember Holmes said she looks at garage sales as being similar to food trucks, and <br />residents are allowed two garage sales per year. She asked Ms. Hall if that type of restriction <br />made sense to her for food trucks. <br />Ms. Hall responded that yes, that made sense. <br />Kate Olson, 3558 Ridgewood Court, said she is the PTO president at Valentine Hills Elementary <br />and they wanted to have food trucks but one of the food truck owners that was contacted told <br />them she wouldn't come because of Arden Hills' requirements. She was curious as to why our <br />ordinance seems to be so much more difficult than other cities. She noted that the city of Blaine <br />eased their food truck rules in 2021. <br />Councilmember Holden said the ordinance reads like it always did, that there needs to be an <br />event and food trucks could come. What happened is a neighborhood has a food truck every <br />Friday night and there is about 150 people that come. Many people in the neighborhood have <br />been upset with traffic, smells, garbage and strangers wandering through the neighborhood every <br />Friday night. That's why they've started to address the issue. It's a good community thing but not <br />everyone wants it in their neighborhood. But the issue comes from saying there's an event in your <br />front yard every Friday night. <br />Ms. Olson asked how that would be different from a graduation party in the neighborhood every <br />Friday night. <br />Councilmember Holmes responded that grad parties would be by invitation where the food <br />trucks have been open to the public with people coming in from other neighborhoods. Cars are <br />lined up on the street and people are walking in the street which makes it a different environment <br />than graduation parties. <br />Mayor Grant said he wasn't interested in food trucks in church parking lots or city parks just <br />because it might be profitable for the city. Possibly for special events, but not as a standing <br />practice. <br />Councilmember Holmes noted that a church could have a food truck on a regular basis because it <br />would be considered commercial. She felt they should look at restrictions on the food trucks <br />themselves because they are already regulated by the State. There are regulations on food trucks, <br />