SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Council put the debate over food truck regulations to bed for this year but councillors weren't done with the topic.

Javaroma co-owner Rami Kassem outside the coffee shop last month. Kassem says he's pleased city council has adopted rules for food trucks that spread them around downtown instead of allowing multiple ones to park along Franklin. - Shane Magee/NNSL photo

Council voted 7-1 in favour of rules for this summer on Monday, leaving them similar to those last year.

That includes a requirement food trucks set up at parking meters if on the street, a ban on parking in front of any food and beverage locations, and a limit of one per block on Franklin and along 53 Street and 52 Street adjacent to the Northwest Building.

The regulations effectively force food trucks to be distributed through downtown instead of clustered together.

The vote came after a proposal to loosen restrictions to allow two vendors per block and another to allow two in front of the Greenstone Building failed in 5-3 votes.

Javaroma co-owner Rami Kassem, who has attended each public city hall meeting when the topic has been discussed, said he was pleased with the outcome.

"I'm glad that they made the right decision and hopefully next year we don't have any conflict again," Kassem said after the meeting ended.

After the rules were settled, council was also asked to amend a bylaw passed last year to move authority to review each year and approve the rules from the senior administrative officer to council.

Coun. Rebecca Alty proposed an amendment to remove the yearly reviews, saying council has already spent enough time on the issue. She said councillors should consider whether it's appropriate to have the topic as a political decision each year or an administrative decision.

Already councillors have discussed the issue at various lengths over three separate meetings this year. "Hopefully, this doesn't become an annual big discussion item," Alty said.

"I appreciate your optimism," said Mayor Mark Heyck.

Coun. Julian Morse, in Vancouver for a business development conference with Couns. Adrian Bell and Rommel Silverio, said what he's seen there has changed his views on the issue of food trucks. The three were the supporters of loosening the rules to allow more vendors per block, all of whom made their voices heard remotely through a speakerphone.

Morse said the rules should be an ongoing topic.

"Whether we like it or not, it's going to be a political one until at least we get the formula just right," Morse said.

Alty suggested council may be delving too far into the details and missing bigger picture discussions.

"We're spent three meetings now discussing the food vendors, which is very important for business owners, but we haven't during this time been focused on the other stuff that's important to Yellowknife which is homelessness and addictions issues that we're seeing downtown," she said.

Alty was the only councillor to vote against the bylaw change that would allow council to carry out an annual review.