FAYETTEVILLE, AR – The city’s planning staff, rather than the Planning Commission, could soon handle permits for mobile vendors.

The commission voted 8-0 to relax some standards for mobile vendors. The recommendation will go to the City Council for approval. A 2014 amendment to the city’s Outdoor Mobile Vendor code allowed food trucks and courts to operate on streets and in parks.

The changes commissioners approved Monday include doing away with the lottery system used to select vendors, letting staff approve permits and allowing vendors to renew permits annually.

Alderman Matthew Petty and Planning Director Andrew Garner presented the changes. The commission tabled the issue March 13 to have sections added to address pedestrian safety and expand the hours for vendors’ limited time permits.

The lottery system was meant to offset potential issues with food trucks taking up too many parking spaces downtown. The system allowed up to three trucks to take public parking spaces. Mobile vendors taking up spaces hasn’t been an issue so the lottery system isn’t necessary, according to the proposal.

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