Cape Council to consider mobile food vendor ordinance
The Cape Coral City Council’s first meeting of 2023 on Wednesday will feature several items the elected board has discussed for a while, including an ordinance to govern mobile food vendors and courts, which has been nearly 18 months in the making.
At the first of two public hearings, Council will consider the new ordinance, which officials say is patterned after Lee County’s.
This new code would treat mobile food vendors alike, except for ice cream trucks. The trucks would need to stay mobile, meaning they would be required to leave their locations at night and remove any gear. Seating areas, tented or not, would not be allowed.
Ultimately, this code is aimed to eliminate “food truck based outdoor restaurants,” officials said.
Mobile food courts are proposed to allow “Food Truck Parks.” This new use, similar to what is allowed in Bonita Springs, would require full site improvements, onsite bathrooms, parking and sidewalks. The allowance is designed to accommodate regular and long-term deployment of food trucks.
The regulations would exempt vehicles operating at a private event for just one day, those operating as part of a special event and those operating in a state of emergency.
A second and final public hearing will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 25.
Council also will vote on an amendment to the lease agreement between the city and the company that leases the Sun Splash Family Waterpark property.
PPW Cape Coral would like to make expansions to Sun Splash including a wave pool and admission entrance. The city anticipates constructing a public parking lot north of the water park in FY2024, which would be open for use by all visitors of the Lake Kennedy Complex.
ProParks would construct and fund the wavepool and other improvements, such as the new admission entrance, once the parking lot is completed.
In other business:
• Council is expected to vote on a resolution to award the contract to construct the Lake Kennedy Racquet Center to Charles Perry Partners. The contract, with contingencies, is worth $11,243,030 and is funded by the city’s parks GO Bond.
• Council is expected to vote on the repeal of the city’s Code of Ordinances, Chapter 26, regarding the city’s charter schools policies and procedures including provisions to comply with state statutes.
• On the consent agenda, the council will consider additional funding for the Cape Coral Wildlife Conservation Program for $100,000 and terminate the waiver of emergency permitting fees related to Hurricane Ian.
As consent items, these resolutions will pass as a group unless pulled for discussion and the council votes against it.
The regular meeting will begin at 4:30 p.m.
Council also will hold a special meeting at 3 p.m. in Conference Room 220A. The elected board will discuss staff personnel issues, including the addition of personnel in the city attorney’s office.
All meetings are open to the public. City Hall is at 1015 Cultural Park Blvd.
To reach CHUCK BALLARO, please email news@breezenewspapers.com