The District of Sechelt is looking to engage the community further before moving ahead with its proposed plans to change mobile vending bylaws.
On Tuesday, March 29 at 7 p.m., the District will host an evening consultation meeting to hear comments and/or concerns about the proposed changes to the seasonal mobile vendor permit portion of the Sechelt parks, lands and temporary rental bylaw and other proposed vending regulations in Sechelt. The meeting will be held at the District's community use room.
The idea of the consultation meeting came as a result of a lengthy discussion at the March 9 committee of the whole meeting.
District staff has proposed changing the rental fee from $200 to $750 per month. The District is also considering making spots available for mobile vendors at Davis Bay beach and the Trail Bay pier, and discussing the matter of vendors setting up in parking lots.
These considerations also come on the heels of a recent case that saw local hot dog vendor Mary Bittroff, who has been selling hot dogs in the Canadian Tire parking lot, receive a bylaw notice from the District stating that could no longer operate there.
Staff has recommended that council look at not only increasing fees, but shortening the permit length for seasonal mobile vendors, reasoning it would lessen any impact on nearby local businesses and create a "more level playing field" for operating a business.
"A lot of these businesses are making commitments to Sechelt," said chief administrative officer Rob Bremner. "They're showing a level of commitment to be here for 12 months of the year, not three or four. I don't think it's that other business don't want them [mobile vendors] there, it's a matter of a level playing field to compete."
As an example, Bremner said the City of Parksville charges mobile vendors a fee of $50 a day.
Council expressed concern over the rental fee's dramatic increase. Staff explained the fee increase would assist in recognizing taxes and other operational fees such as garbage collection, parking, and washroom and sewer facilities.
These fees are not typically borne by a mobile vendor, but are regularly incurred by permanent businesses according to Emanuel Machado, Sechelt's manager of sustainability, parks and special projects.
"The fee is not a number we just pulled out of the air," said Machado. "There's been substantial consultation with business groups that voiced their concerns. Subsidization by us, [the District], that's their main concern. We're trying to find a balance between vibrant local spaces, providing local food, and providing a balance for the local businesses as well."
Council also discussed the different types of food vendors. In addition to new rules for seasonal mobile vendors, the matters of mobile vendors and vendors at special events, such as night markets, would also need to be examined.
