CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — The City of Charlottetown is considering an application for a unique food truck in the downtown — this one would also serve alcohol.
The proposal is for Nimrods' food truck to be located at 183 Great George St. on a vacant lot between two restaurants, Cedar’s Eatery and the Old Triangle.
Nimrods' is owned by Charlottetown residents Mikey Wasnidge and Jesse Clausheide.
City council passed a resolution at its monthly meeting Monday night to send the matter to a public meeting before a vote is taken at the April meeting.
The design for the food truck concept is different than any other food truck in the city. Not only would this one serve alcohol, but it would also include fencing, indoor washrooms that are hooked up to the city’s water and sewer system and a seating area.
The intent is to create an atmosphere in what essentially would be an outdoor restaurant.
“They’re wanting to put a food truck in place, which they are allowed to do on private property, but what changed this application for us is ... they want to sell alcohol, so it really becomes a restaurant than it does a food truck by our definition,’’ said Coun. Greg Rivard, chairman of the planning committee.
Referred to by the city as a mobile canteen, it would operate from April 1 to Oct. 31 annually.
The date for the public meeting will be scheduled in the near future.
Rivard said planning staff and the planning board also recommended the matter go to a public meeting.
Coun. Terry MacLeod was the lone dissenter, saying that it would simply create even more parking headaches in the area. He also wondered why the owners would simply rent an already existing vacant space.
When it was suggested that approval could be granted on a one-year trial period, Alex Forbes, manager of planning, explained that the owners would be making a substantial investment in this proposal and were seeking a permanent approval.
The proposal, which is a request to obtain a site specific exemption in the downtown core zone of the zoning and development bylaw, would also include two variances — increasing the maximum height for a fence in the front yard from 3.3 feet to about 6.5 feet and an increase in the maximum front yard setback for a building in the downtown core zone from 3.3 feet to about 52.5 feet.
“(It’s) more of an outdoor restaurant. That’s the big difference,’’ Rivard said. “With the restaurant (status) comes national building code (requirements) ... that are associated to a restaurant that aren’t associated to a food truck.’’
Rivard said the concept does exist in other cities.
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