The Brentwood Board of Commissioners will be discussing food trucks and a proposed subdivision on Moores Lane on Tuesday night.
Here’s what you need to know in advance of the meeting.
Food Trucks
Two proposed ordinances related to food trucks will have their first reading at the meeting Tuesday night. As previously reported, one ordinance outlines regulations that food trucks operating in the city would have to abide by. The other would do two things primarily: change the city’s zoning ordinance to allow food trucks in areas where they are currently prohibited and make food trucks a “permitted use,” which would make it easier for organizations like churches, schools and homeowner’s associations to have food trucks at special events pre-approved by the city.
Food trucks are currently not permitted in any areas in Brentwood that are zoned C-1, or commercial only. This includes much of Maryland Farms. They have been allowed at preapproved events at churches or schools, but usually a special permit from the Planning Commission was required for this to happen.
The zoning ordinance under consideration would allow food trucks to operate in C-1 areas on private land, with the written approval of the property owners. It would also eliminate the need for the Planning Commission to issue permits if a church or school wanted to have a food truck at an event.
The regulatory ordinance stipulates that food truck owners would have to pay an annual $50 permit fee to operate in Brentwood. It also lays out rules that would govern when a food truck could set up on public property and what hours a food truck could be open, as well as other practical and safety-related information.
City Commissioner Betsy Crossley expressed her support for the ordinances in a previous article.
“Food trucks are a new way of allowing folks greater access to food and entertainment as well as cutting down on traffic,” she said. “It really brings us up to par with everyone else.”
On the other side of the issue, former City Manager Mike Walker stated his concern that allowing food trucks to operate more freely in Brentwood would be unfair to local, brick-and-mortar restaurants because food trucks only have to pay taxes based on where they are registered, not where they set up.
“They put our businesses at a disadvantage,” Walker said.
Primm Rezoning
As reported last week, a rezoning application has been submitted for a portion of the Primm property on Moores Lane, about a half-mile west of Wilson Pike.
The rezoning request is for 28.9 acres of land west of the historic Owen-Primm home. That land is now split between R-1 (Large Lot Residential) and R-2 (Suburban Residential) zoning. Under the terms of this ordinance, that land would be rezoned to OSRD (Open Space Residential Development). This would allow homes to be built on lots smaller than one acre.
Developers have submitted a plan calling for 24 homes to be built on the property if it is rezoned. If it is not rezoned, developers plan for 20 homes on the property.
There are no current plans to develop the land that the Owen-Primm house sits on, or the Primm property just to the east of the house, according to the ordinance.
Members of the public can share their thoughts on these ordinances at the Board of Commissioners meeting Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at the Brentwood Municipal Center at 5211 Maryland Way.
It will be the first reading for the food truck and Primm property ordinances at the meeting. They would have to undergo further review and a final reading at a future commission meeting to go into effect.
