AGENDA ITEM #

PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION

COMMUNICATION FORM

FROM: Ally MacDougall, Office Coordinator

DATE: August 14, 2019

ITEM: Mobile Food Vendor Policy

NEXT STEPS: Information

Discussion
Endorsement
X Information
Motion

I. REQUEST OR ISSUE:
Each summer the Parks and Recreation Department receives inquiries from
entrepreneurs wanting to sell different food and beverage items in the City’s
parks. Below is a review of the different Mobile Food Vendor policies that the
Parks and Recreation Department has enacted in recent years.

II. RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Review the Mobile Food Vendor Policy, discuss and provide feedback for the
2020 policy update.

III. FISCAL IMPACTS:

Some revenue collected for the department through fees.

IV. BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

The policy and process for Mobile Food Vendors has changed many times
over the years:

• At the May 9th, 2012 Parks and Recreation Commission meeting three
vendors were approved to operate and they donated a percentage of their
revenue to local non-profits. The amount of the percentage and the non-
profit receiving the donations were both determined by the vendor.

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 • April 9th 2014 staff brought to Parks and Recreation Commission three
vendors that wanted to operate at any park in the system besides Howelsen
Park. The commission approved the three vendors with a fee of $75 to
operate.

• From 2015 to 2018, the Recreation and Enterprise Manager took over the
program and did a Request for Proposals (RFP) each year to have one vendor
bid to be the only vendor operating for the summer. The Recreation and
Enterprise Manager would work with the Contracting and Procurement
department to create contracts with the vendor to operate for the summer.
Last year, the vendor was Steamboat Paletas, a tricycle and cart operation
selling popsicles.

• For the 2019 season, Staff has decided to move away from the RFP process
as it was cumbersome for many interested entrepreneurs and to limit the
parks that vendors would be allowed to operate in to parks or areas with
larger parking areas. For example staff did not want a vendor at Rotary Park
with such a small parking area. Staff also wanted to make sure the vendors
were not operating where established vendors would already be operating
such as Art in the Park or the annual Rugby tournament. Vendors will need to
fill out the application, provide their city sales tax number, provide Routt
County health license and pay the $250 fee to operate annually. Currently,
there will no limit to those who apply as long as they can obtain all of the
licenses, pay the fee, and follow the rules. The Department does not
currently have any licensed mobile food vendors.

V. LEGAL ISSUES:
N/A

VI. CONFLICTS OR ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES:

N/A

VII. SUMMARY AND ALTERNATIVES:

N/A

LIST OF ATTACHMENTS:
Mobile Food Vendor Policy

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 Mobile Food Vendor Policy

The City of Steamboat Springs will take applications and permit mobile food vendors to
provide food and/or non-alcohol beverages in various City parks throughout the summer
season.

 Vendors will be permitted to operate from the Friday of Memorial Day weekend through
October 31st.
 Vendors may conduct business between the hours of 7:00 am and 9:00 pm at the
following parks. Exact locations within these parks can be found on the attached maps.

1. River Creek Park – 2 spots

2. Emerald Park – 1 spot
3. Ski Town Park – 1 spot
4. Dr. Rich Weiss Park – Bike ONLY
5. Little Toots Park – Bike ONLY

Exceptions:
Special events that are permitted by the City at all approved locations may restrict
access to mobile vendors not associated with their event. The City will notify all mobile
food vendors of these dates and times.

At the locations and dates listed below, mobile food vending will be prohibited as other
contracts are already in place:

1. Ski Town Park, Third weekend in July including Friday, Soccer Tournament

2. Emerald Park, Third weekend in July including Friday, Soccer Tournament

3. Ski Town Park, Early July, Cowpie Classic Rugby Tournament

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Vendor Requirements:

1. A mobile food vendor is defined as a Tricycle, cart, wagon, truck, or vehicle

serving prepared food and/or beverages or preparing and serving food for
immediate consumption.

2. Mobile Food Vendors shall serve walk-up customers only.

3. Signage and Stakes - Signs must be permanently affixed to or painted on the

mobile food unit and are exempt from sign permitting provided that they do not
include any prohibited signs per Article IX of the Community Development Code.
All other signs must comply with Article IX. NO stakes may be used to hold
anything down, please only weigh down items with water jugs, sand bags, etc.

4. Waste Collection – Mobile Food Vendors must be maintained in good order,

without loose debris, materials, or other nuisance impacts. Both trash and
recycling receptacles shall be required and the operators shall be responsible for
their storage and daily disposal.

5. Lighting - Exterior lighting shall comply with Chapter 26-138 of the City’s
Municipal Code.

6. Insurance – Mobile Food Vendors must maintain General Liability insurance with
minimum combined single limits of $500,000.00 each occurrence and
$500,000.00 aggregate. Vendor shall provide a certificate of insurance naming
the City as an additional insured.

7. Operating Time - Operations are limited to the hours between 7:00 am and
9:00pm.

8. Removal of Mobile Food Unit (MFU) - MFU must be removed from specified city
park location at the end of each business day.

9. Price List – Mobile Food Vendors must display a price list of goods sold in full
view of the public at all times during the operation.

10. State and County requirements – Mobile Food Vendors must provide all required
state and county licenses.

11. Mobile Food Vendor on tricycles/carts are allowed to use the Yampa River Core
Trail to get to and from the specified locations but cannot, under any
circumstances, stop for mobile food vending on or next to the bike path other
than in the specified locations.

12. Annual Fee - Mobile Food Vendors will pay a $250 application fee annually.

13. Size – Any tricycle/cart traveling down the Core Trail can be no more than 36
inches wide. All vehicles may take up only ONE parking space and cannot
extend out of the space.

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 Specific Locations

River Creek Park – Only 2 vendors may be here at a time and must be parked in LEGAL spaces.
First come, first served.

Emerald Park - Only 1 vendor may be here at a time and must be parked in a LEGAL space. First
come, first served. DO NOT PARK IN ANY SPOTS RESERVED FOR BOTANIC PARK.

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Ski Town Park – Any legal spot in the front lot. Only 1 vendor may be here at a time. First
come, first served.

Dr. Rich Weiss Park – Bike ONLY

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Little Toots Park – Bike ONLY. Bike can park anywhere in the crusher fines between 12 th
Street and the Park.

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Parks and Recreation Mobile Vendor Application
Date of Application: ____________________
Operation of business to begin on: ________________ End on: _____________
Name: ___________________________________________________________
Phone Number: ___________________________________________________
Email: ___________________________________________________________
Name of Business: _________________________________________________
Driver’s License Number: ____________________________________________
(Please attach a copy of Driver’s License)
City Sales Tax License Number of employer: _____________________________
Permanent Home Address: ___________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Mailing Address where you can be contacted locally:
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Name, address and phone number of employer:
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Please describe the nature of the business you wish to conduct, or goods you
plan to sell, in the approved parks in Steamboat Springs.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Please describe the manner and means by which you intend to sell your goods or
take your orders:
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Exact parks you intend to conduct business.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

Please list all vehicles to be used, including description of vehicles and license
plate numbers:
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Note: Mobile Food Vendor licenses are issued for a period of one year and may be renewable for
successive periods of one year upon payment of the annual license fee to the City of Steamboat
Springs Parks and Recreation Department.