The Estacada Planning Commission on Oct. 8 approved a conditional‑use permit to develop a 10‑stall food cart pod at 116 Northwest Sixth Avenue with conditions requiring new sidewalks and curbs, fire department review of fueling and propane details, and added parking along North Broadway.

The action approves Conditional Use 2025‑03‑CU to develop a site for 10 food carts on a vacant gravel lot in the city’s residential‑commercial (C2) zone and imposes conditions intended to address pedestrian infrastructure, public safety and parking. Staff recommended approval with 13 conditions; the commission added a requirement that the applicant secure roughly 20 parking spaces, including angled or on‑street parking along Broadway, as part of final project approvals.

Staff summary and why it mattered

Alan, planning staff, told commissioners the project is a conditional use in the residential‑commercial zone and that staff finds the proposal meets the city’s five conditional‑use criteria or can meet them with conditions. He told the commission the site has little existing sidewalk or curb—“the site frontage consists primarily of driveway aprons and not sidewalks”—and showed photos of cracked concrete and worn driveway aprons on Sixth Avenue and North Broadway. Because the code requires sidewalks and curbs where development costs exceed $15,000, staff recommended a condition requiring new sidewalks, curbs and an ADA ramp along the entire site frontage.

Staff also noted the fire marshal had raised concerns about the site plan’s detail on fuel and fueling equipment; staff therefore recommended a condition requiring submittal of a full site plan, including distances and locations of fuel lines and propane storage, for fire review before building permits are issued. In addition, staff reiterated that code requires one off‑street parking space per cart; the applicant’s plan shows 10 on‑site spaces and staff listed a minimum of 10 off‑street spaces as a condition.

Public testimony and commission concerns

Neighbors and nearby business owners spoke at the public hearing and raised traffic, pedestrian safety and parking concerns.

- David Jarrett, owner‑operator of Granny’s restaurant next door, said on‑site spaces would not cover employees and predicted “if it ends up being a successful food pod, it’s gonna be a nightmare for traffic. It’s gonna be a nightmare for parking.”

- Michelle Marthaler, who lives on North Broadway, said existing crossings are unsafe for students and residents and recommended crosswalks or traffic control near the school.

- Tom Thompson, owner of Timbertown Grub, said several existing Estacada food carts have struggled and warned a large pod could harm small operators; he described situations in which even one cart can generate heavy customer vehicle demand.

The applicant, Ed (applicant/property owner), told the commission he expected to install a fence for security and to prevent vehicles from encroaching on carts, and said sewer hookup and permanent restroom facilities would be an advantage for cart operators. On propane he told commissioners he planned to require permanent tanks at each cart and regular refilling by a single vendor, and to require tanks be turned off at night.

Commission discussion and final action

Commissioners focused on three practical issues: (1) replacing sidewalks and adding an ADA ramp along the site frontage; (2) fire review and specific engineering of fuel/propane connections; and (3) parking and traffic impacts during peak periods and school release times.

Commissioner Aaron (first name only in the record) proposed requiring a traffic or parking analysis; staff said the commission may require one as a condition or continue the application to collect one. Commissioner Tara and others urged that the alleyway and unpaved sections near Granny’s be upgraded or addressed because the pod will increase local vehicle movements.

After discussion, the commission voted to approve the conditional use with conditions as amended: the 13 staff conditions (site plan and fire marshal review, new sidewalks/curbs and ADA ramp, minimum landscape requirement, screening for storage, maximum building height, sanitation standards, adherence to food‑cart standards, two‑year vesting/expiration if construction does not begin) plus a commission condition requiring that the applicant secure approximately 20 parking spaces in the immediate vicinity (on‑site and on Broadway via angled/parallel parking options described by the applicant and staff) or return with a revised plan. The motion carried 3–2.

What the conditions require and next steps

Key requirements placed on the developer include:
- Construction of sidewalks, curbs and an ADA corner ramp along the full site frontage before permits for the structural/restroom work proceed. (Staff noted the cost threshold in code that triggers sidewalk/curb requirements.)
- Submission of a full site plan to the fire marshal showing distances and locations of fuel and propane systems for fire review before permits may be issued.
- Meeting food cart chapter standards and site landscaping/screening standards; storage areas must be screened and a southern property line fence is required.
- The conditional‑use approval vests for two years; construction must begin within that period or the approval expires.
- A commission requirement that roughly 20 parking spaces be available to serve the pod, which the applicant proposed to supply by creating angled parking along the Broadway frontage that he controls; the commission required the applicant to obtain necessary city approvals and sign‑offs for that additional parking or else return with an alternative plan.

Commissioners and staff noted the city is undertaking a Safe Routes to School study and that the commission could coordinate with public‑works staff and the city manager on any additional intersection or crossing improvements identified by engineering review.

Ending

With conditions in place, the commission approved the conditional use and directed staff to finalize conditions and work with the applicant on engineering and any city approvals required to implement additional parking and frontage improvements. If the applicant cannot secure city approval for the additional Broadway parking arrangement, the approval requires the applicant to return with a revised parking/traffic mitigation plan.