Let the lottery begin....

All but two local food vendors vying for a public space will be entered into a lottery for their summer spots.

That ensued after city council passed a lease, encroachment and property use policy Monday night.

The policy will govern vendors setting up shop in the city after a number of mobile food operations opened up for the summer in recent years.

The policy will see the city produce a map detailing the public spaces available for vendors. The city will host a lottery draw to determine where vendors will be located.

The two exceptions will be for Patrick Singh's hot dog cart at the corner of Main Street and Third Avenue and Compadre's Burrito's at Rotary Peace Park.

Both businesses, which have been in the respective positions for a number of years, would be grandfathered into their locations.

Before voting in favour of the policy, council members heard from vendor Louis Gagnon, who praised the city for moving forward with food tourism.

He also noted he's happy with the policy, but has some concerns that it's restricting his business model.

Recalling his own issues last summer in getting a permit to operate his Garlic A GoGo shwarma truck only to have it revoked over Motor Vehicle Act legislation, Gagnon said he has been restricted to operating on private property.

The new policy would permit him to operate at the city's sites that will be leased out. However, he had started up his business (including getting loans) on the premise he could also drive to various locations, such as Whitehorse General Hospital, and sell his food.

Questioned by Coun. Dave Stockdale, Gagnon clarified that he has no intention of going into residential areas to peddle food.

Stockdale said he sympathizes with Gagnon, as he remembered his father operating a produce truck in his youth.

The policy includes provisions that would restrict vendors to selling their wares on public property from May to October and require them to shut down for the day by 11 p.m., among other conditions.

Exactly what spots will be available for vendors won't be known until after council votes on third reading of changes to the parkade bylaw.

The changes would see the city establish four-hour metered parking in its parking lot on Third Avenue between Main and Steele Streets (not Strickland Street, as reported in last Friday's Star) as well as accommodate two five-metre by 10-metre stalls for vendors in the parking lot.

The lot currently has a number of empty spots that could be converted, as proposed by bylaw manager Dave Pruden.

It's expected the meters could bring in $8 per day while the two vendor spots would be rented out for $225 annually, bringing in $13,890 each year.

It would cost the city $9,900 in the first year to make changes to the parking lot to bring in the meters.

Council will still have to pass third reading of the bylaw.

Coun. Kirk Cameron voted with the rest of council in favour of both the policy and first two readings of the parkade bylaw. However, he also voiced his support for shutting down a portion of Third Avenue over the summer months to create a pedestrian-friendly area for vendors.

Stockdale argued doing so "would change the entire traffic dynamic” in the area.

Coun. Mike Gladish came to Cameron's defence, arguing Cameron was presenting a new way of thinking.

That compared to Stockdale's "old way of thinking,” Gladish added, noting the need to start thinking in terms "of people, not cars” on city matters.

Gladish indicated he'd also like to see Cameron's suggestion explored, noting the policy will offer a good solution for the time being.