Travis County Commissioners Court
July 28, 2009,
Item 20
The request for -- there it is, number 20, consider and take appropriate action on request to local business person to set up and operate a vending cart on Travis County property located at 5501 airport boulevard.
i know we'll have questions from legal but we might as well lay that out and you are the requesting businesswoman.
>> yes.
>> good morning, roger kuory.
a possible inquiry from
>> [indiscernible] about securing permission to operate a hot dog vending cart on county property.
exhibit 1 is a copy of the e-mail from her dated July 17, 2009
>> [indiscernible].
direction from the court whether they would pursue an agreement or advertise for these services was a request for proposal or decline the question.
the following are the positive and negative aspects as we see it of the request.
positive aspects, provides a service to employee and public at 5501 airport location.
potential for small amount of revenue associated with approval of the license.
provides a business opportunity for a county resident.
the negative aspect of it is competition with existing food establishment in the vicinity where they sell the same commodities.
potential to create congestion at the site and set precedents for additional vendors seeking permission to operate at that site.
>> miss goldburg, any additional comments?
>> I've got out to that site and have taken pictures of actual spots that I thought would be appropriate that would not block any pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
right in the front of the building there are two little land areas with trees and cactus.
they measure 14 1/2 by 14 and width in diameter and the cart is only 4 by 5.
it could potentially go right in there where it would not block traffic or create security or safety issues, rather, because there is a walkway right next to it that people do already cross by.
as far as other --
>> is this the median at airport boulevard or the one that runs perpendicular to airport?
>> actually the building is here and right where the main entrance across the driver way or the parking lot, right in front there are two little land islands with a tree and a cactus.
>> got it.
okay.
>> so even taking out the space where the tree is, there is enough workable space for the cart to easily be placed there.
it would be the type of cart that pulls up and leaves at the end of the day.
so I've taken into consideration all kind of safety issues.
as far as other businesses around, the closest place there is is across airport boulevard is a hamburger place, I believe.
there are no vending machines or access to any food or drinks on that property except for in the training area where the general public doesn't go.
so it would be providing a service for the thousand people that go in there every day as well as the employees.
>> so the location you have in mind is between the building and the parking lot.
>> it's actually in the parking lot.
it's -- it's closer to the building but far enough away from the building.
i have actual photos if would like to see them.
but it's between the building and the actual sidewalk, the street area.
>> okay.
so would your target audience be county employees, the public or both?
>> both.
there's approximately 1,000 people that go in there a day between the tax office, registrations, all those different things.
and so there are a lot of people, sometimes -- let me --
>> [inaudible].
>> so your request is a partnership with Travis County.
i see where Travis County has asked to provide -- what does Travis County get out of the deal?
>> well, there is license fees, county fees, you are making money on that.
i know the city for the different vending spots like on congress, they are getting a dollar a day for use of this space plus all the fees and, you know, licensing and everything else that goes with it.
so --
>> this is not the city of Austin, ms.
goldburg, this is Travis County.
i don't know that we have the authority to charge all these fees that the city charges.
>> well, you do still have health department licensing and all that.
food management.
i think that money goes to the county as well.
>> so you have in mind the areas where the plants are.
what's the name of the business?
>> it's a doggie dog world.
>> there's a larger green space that's to the -- between the building and the airport boulevard tax office.
it's a larger green space over to the side.
is that a space that you would consider?
>> I'm not sure which space you are speaking of.
>> it is --
>> it was the chair king?
>> no, the sheriff's office is to the northwest of the building.
as you go down airport, there's the airport tax office and then there's another building just beyond it.
and it's also county owned.
between them is a green median on either side of what is a -- a water control device.
it's a gully basically.
and I'm just thinking bit because there's a picnic table over there -- isn't there a picnic table over there?
>> that's correct.
>> there's considerably more shade and it's a little bit further out of the way for traffic.
>> would that cause more pedestrian traffic walking across the --
>> perhaps.
this is directly across from the main entrance which seems that that might cause a traffic flow issue, whereas if it were on that median with the picnic table --
>> the only reason I thought it would not, it would solve that problem is because there are already walkways on either side or in between those two little islands.
and because it's in the parking lot, but it's at the end of it you don't have people walking around in the middle of a parking lot.
there is a space where they can safely stand and the area they would normally cross over anyway to go into or exit from the building.
>> okay.
>> I do have questions for legal that we'll take in executive session.
you have these businesses set up in Travis County already?
>> no.
i have had a vending business in the past in florida.
i've been here going on seven years and it's something I've wanted to do.
>> do we have a picture of the cart?
>> I do not have a picture of a cart with me.
i haven't purchased the cart.
i was hoping to get approval before investing that money.
but I mean it's the same kind of cart that I'm sure you've seen on congress and 10th or 8th, whatever it is.
the retired dogs.
>> what's prohibiting anyone from not walking, but there's a lot of congestion out there, let's call it what it is, just the parking just to -- you have to really fight sometimes to get a parking slot to take care of business out there.
what I'm trying to imagine is a person that gets in their vehicle and decide not to walk but just park right where you are and then walk -- you know, and start out doing business with you as far as what you are selling there.
>> treat it like a drive-through.
>> yeah, exactly.
i'm concerned because there's no rules or regulations right now to say no one can't stop and impede traffic.
see what happens is that folks go out there and they are looking for parking places.
and sometimes you get lucky and you find a slot and you shoot in it.
but you have to go in between each one of those lanes out there and hopefully find a slot.
you see bobbing and weaving and going through all those different cars that separates the parking area.
so, you know, and hopefully they will find one.
otherwise what ends up happening is if they don't find one, folks are actually parking up against the curb just, you know, to the far west part of the parking lot.
and then walk all the way down.
and I've seen competition for those.
so I'm concerned about congestion and inconvenience and stuff like that.
how will that be dealt with?
so -- so -- so those are some -- some very valid concerns that I have, and the congestion, of course, is significant out there now.
it is.
and I don't know on a daily basis, but the time I go out there, you always have to try to fight for a parking slot.
>> there is a constant flow of traffic.
>> it's a deal.
it's an ordeal out there.
and I think we don't have enough parking.
>> the fact that it is a secluded island area, it is -- it's not taking up a parking spot.
i would not treat it as a drive-up, pull-up and get a dog and go.
and it does keep the separation so people know they have to actually walk up to it.
>> but that doesn't prohibit people from parking, that's the point.
i don't know -- I don't know how people -- folks are going to behave as far as I'm just kind of being a visionary and seeing to try to eliminate maybe potential problems.
>> I think that's also one of the benefits of having it closer to the building.
it's not attracting drive-by traffic, oh, there's a hot dog cart and people pulling in and using it as a drive-up.
this is specifically for the people going to building and the employees.
>> you have the ongoing business, the el suppose sole luna?
>> yes.
>> is that underway?
are you in business there now?
>> no no, they are a business.
they are a restaurant that is on sixth and --
>> so you would purchase items from them so that --
>> as my commissary they have agreed to store any items that are not purchased on a daily basis and give me a place to go and sanitize my equipment.
which is part of a county health department rule.
>> what business are you in today?
>> I'm a massage therapist and aesthetician.
>> do we have any similar situations at any other county properties where we have --
>> no.
>> it sounds like there's an opportunity and perhaps even some need for this type of thing out at airport, but I am a little concerned about the precedent setting.
and perhaps the opportunity exists to augment with additional types of food if the need was there, but the point being I think it's better on the front end to structure that rather than try after the fact to say maybe we're getting too many vendors here.
and I just wonder if we don't need to take a long look at this from the standpoint of the congestion and the opportunities that are presented but how they are best instructed for the future -- structured for the future before we set a precedent that we may have to go back and deal with later.
>> mr.
reeferseed.
>> I would like to disagree with my Commissioner on that very issue because I think competition is what makes everything work.
and there might be problems in the future with too many vendors, but I think there's a problem right now with too little vendors.
there's too little choice across the board.
so unless there are health concerns, which sounds like this fine young lady has already taken that into account in sanitizing her material, unless there are problems, I don't think we should slam the door on this and I'm a general and strong opinion in favor of her project.
>> got one supporter.
the number in your e-mail is where we can reach you late this afternoon?
>> yes.
>> okay.
we'll ask legal some questions and we may be in court today until 3:00 or 4:00 so we will let you know the outcome of our discussion.
all right?
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
>> thank you for your patience also.
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Last Modified:
Tuesday, July 28, 2009 2:31 PM