Pittsfield Releases Draft Food Truck Ordinance

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city has released draft regulations on food trucks and the Ordinance and Rules Committee will discuss them on Dec. 2.

The draft ordinance identifies specific locations downtown where mobile food vendors can operate and the city is looking to charge vendors a monthly fee of $35 per parking space used.

The debate over food trucks began earlier this year when Downtown Pittsfield Inc. petitioned the city to create regulations. The Ordinance and Rules Committee met twice to draft an ordinance and is now asking the local business owners to weigh in on it. The committee will meet at 7:30 on Dec. 2 to answer questions and discuss concerns.

The ordinance also requests food truck operations to receive a permit to operation with exemptions from those who operate only during special events. The ordinance only regulates those operating on city property and not those operating on private land.

The draft ordinance and map of locations vendors can operate is available below.

 

Draft Food Truck Ordinance by iBerkshires.com

 

 

Food Truck Areas Map

 

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Toy Library Installed at Onota Lake

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Feel free to use or leave a toy at Onota Lake's newest infrastructure meant to foster community and benefit kids.

Burbank Park now has a toy library thanks to Wahconah Regional High School senior Alexandra Bills. Located along the wall at the beach area, the green and blue structure features two shelves with sand toys that can be used to enhance children's visits.

The Parks Commission supported Bills' proposal in February as part of her National Honors Society individual service project and it was installed this month. Measuring about 4 feet wide and 5.8 feet tall, it was built by the student and her father with donated materials from a local lumber company.

Friends and family members provided toys to fill the library such as pails, shovels, Frisbees, and trucks.

"I wanted to create a toy library like the other examples in Berkshire County from the sled library to the book libraries," she told the commission in February.

"But I wanted to make it toys for Onota Lake because a lot of kids forget their toys or some kids can't afford toys."

Bills lives nearby and will check on the library weekly — if not daily — to ensure the operation is running smoothly.  A sign reading "Borrow-Play-Return" asks community members to clean up after themselves after using the toys.

It was built to accommodate children's heights and will be stored during the winter season.

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