A keen group of about 50 community members and business owners came out on March 29 to give their input on two new bylaws that will regulate mobile vending on District and private properties in Sechelt.
Some wanted to see vendors on District lands pay more for the pad use in "prime waterfront locations," while others felt raising the rates for mobile vendors would essentially put them out of business or drive their business to other areas of the Coast.
Paul Fenton is operating his mobile Feastro the Rolling Bistro in Winegarden Park in Gibsons this year as he has "encountered challenges" trying to secure the pad in Davis Bay he used last summer and felt the use of a lottery system to decide who would be granted the spot was "too problematic."
Mayor Darren Inkster reiterated many times at Tuesday's consultation meeting that council "is not trying to push business out of Sechelt" and that they have not decided on a new rate for mobile vendors on District lands yet.
The District held the meeting in an effort to find out how the community would like them to regulate the businesses.
Recently councillors began talking about possibly raising the rates for mobile vendors on District property from $200 to $750 a month, to better reflect the cost of garbage pick up, electricity use and the use of District washrooms by mobile vendor patrons. There are currently zoned District mobile vendor pads in Davis Bay and Kinnikinnick Park.
The District is also discussing taking away the Kinnikinnick Park mobile vendor pad as it is not well used and creating a new pad at Rotary Friendship Park near the pier on Sechelt's waterfront.
The manager of Wheatberries in Sechelt said the new waterfront location would negatively impact her business by taking away patrons. She didn't think it was fair that a seasonal mobile vendor could set up shop near her establishment for the three busiest months of the year, when all businesses are relying on those summer sales to get them through the more difficult months.
She noted she pays over $2,000 a month for rental of the Wheatberries space in Sechelt and she didn't think the proposed raise in rates for mobile vendors was unreasonable.
The owner of Pier 17 agreed that mobile vendors near his shop take away some of his sales as well, and the manager of the Lighthouse Pub echoed the sentiment.
Some community members and Mary Bittroff, who owns the hot dog cart currently set up outside Canadian Tire on private land, said the possible raise in rates is too high and that mobile vendors aren't making enough to pay fees of $750 a month.
Fenton said he would like to see the pads granted to vendors through a request for proposals (RFP) process whereby the vendor with the highest bid gets the pad.
He also suggested the District consider a pilot project with respect to street vendors on both private and public lands, noting Feastro would like to secure the Davis Bay site for year-round operations.
"It would be fairly simple to identify some specific areas and work on a pilot project. Get requests from interested RFPs and evaluate it as you are moving forward," Fenton said.
He noted people tell him often he is missed on the waterfront and that he and his staff used to make recommendations for nearby restaurants and food providers when asked by tourists.
"We gladly give them," he said. "We want to be in a community that values us as part of the business community. We want to play on a level playing field, and included in our proposal to the District of Sechelt is that we make a commitment to year-round operations. And we suggested that there be a formula that includes lease, garbage, water, sewer and power."
On the issue of regulating mobile vendors on private property, the District presented a map of various areas they are looking at allowing the businesses, noting Bittroff's location at Canadian Tire is one that is being discussed.
She was told she can apply for another 30- or 60-day extension to stay at her current location while the bylaw is being looked at. Recently Bittroff was given a notice to leave the location as the District felt her business did not fit within the permitted uses on site.
Comments from the public will be compiled by staff and reported back to the next committee of the whole meeting in Sechelt on April 13 at 1 p.m.
