Even in areas where food trucks are able to successfully operate on city streets, people are finding that food truck pods, lots and gathering spots are a great way to improve the industry and the communities they serve.

PETALUMA, CA – A new open-air hub for trendy food trucks in Petaluma could be open for business as soon as this summer after crossing an administrative speed bump this week, according to the local man behind the project.

Site plans for The Block got a thumbs-up during a second round with the Petaluma Planning Commission on Tuesday, following a tweak to the design that will draw traffic away from a roadway frequented by the heavy trucks of the nearby Dairymen’s Feed & Supply Co-op.

Co-op representatives had claimed during a hearing in late January that an earlier access plan sharing that street would put The Block’s future customers at risk, prompting the city to ask for additional traffic study.

City planners said the new tweak shifting the access to the property effectively eliminated the need for the study, and commissioners praised the change as an effective compromise seeking harmony with the project’s future neighbors.

“I think this is a very good result,” said Dave King, the Petaluma city councilman who serves as a liaison to the commission.

Find the entire article at petaluma360.com