A mobile vending license was issued for a gourmet hot dog cart beside Qualicum Beach’s Visitor Centre, but the applicant’s truck will have to be parked elsewhere.
Luke Sales, the town’s director of planning, told council last week that while the hot dog cart was “low key,” he couldn’t say the same about the truck.
“When staff discussed the application the cart was quite nice — the truck unfortunately wasn’t,” said Sales.
The recommendation before council was to issue the vending business license, but force the applicant to find a location to park his truck somewhere acceptable to town staff.
Coun. Scott Tanner questioned if it were possible to find such a spot within walking distance. “I’m just sort of scratching my head wondering, hmmm, I wonder where a guy could park a truck in a relatively safe spot that’s going to be acceptable to staff and not going to disturb some neighbours.”
Sales responded that ideally it would not be a place as highly visible as the Visitor Centre, perhaps he could make an arrangement with a private property owner nearby, he said.
“So it may be a short walk for the applicant but certainly the benefit for the community would be a little bit better,” Sales said.
Westbroek asked if the applicant parked it a bit to East, in front of the new Qualicum Beach Inn if that would be acceptable to staff.
Sales said that wouldn’t be looked on favourably by the new hotel and ideally the truck’s location would not be on the waterfront at all.
Council passed the motion to issue the license which included that condition, as well as the conditions that the applicant pay $420 for a one-year term and that he park his cart next to the Visitor Centre only.
