BROOKVILLE — Planning commission approved a special use application for Brooke Hemmerich, of Brookville, to operate a mobile boutique truck called Small Town Tique in the municipal parking lot on Arlington Road.

Planning commission, however, held off approving Hemmerich’s special use request to set up the mobile boutique truck in the municipal parking lot located at the corner of Market and Walunt streets pending further review.

“We are still reviewing the Market and Walnut streets site and trying to find a location in the Market Street area to do mobile vendors,” law director Rod Stephan said.

Planning commission member Jeff Wright voiced concerns with allowing a mobile vendor to set up business in the downtown area where similar businesses are already located.

“I have much less of an issue with the Arlington location than in the downtown area. We’re trying to bring in business into the physical locations downtown,” Wright said.

Brookville Mayor Chuck Letner agreed.

“As Jeff said, the brick and mortar stores are our bread and butter.

“We have two boutiques on Market Street now. I see (from Hemmerich’s schedule) she will be set up in the mornings and the afternoons, which is good, but I would like to see a timeline coordinate with the others so not to give one an advantage one way or the other,” Letner said.

“I don’t want to take anything away from the mobile vendor because this is how you become a brick and mortar business,” Letner continued.

“This has been in the background with mobile vendors. the whole time. It’s a competition against the businesses in a building. The other side of it is trying to have multiple choices for people living in Brookville,” Stephan said.

Stephan indicated balancing mobile food vendors with brick and mortar businesses is an issue city officials and planning commission need to thoroughly study.

Letner asked Stephan if he would ask Hemmerich to attend the March 21 planning commission meeting.

“I would like to see the approach she is going to use,” Letner said.

Stephan, who indicated he hoped Hemmerich would have attended the Feb. 15 meeting, said he will request she attend the March 21 meeting.

Planning commission also approved a special use application that will allow James Kelly, of Dayton, the owner of the Louisiana Grill mobile food truck, to locate his vehicle in the parking lot at McMakens IGA, located at 1 McMaken Way.

“A letter of support authorizing this location for Louisiana Grill has been received from McMakens,” law director Rod Stephan said.

The letter from McMaken IGA General Manager Mark Taylor states “the above name vendor is granted permission to come and setup their food concession on the side of our parking lot in order to promote and sell their bourbon chicken sauce, which is carried in our grocery store.”

Stephan noted “mobile food vendors are a special use authorized in Section 1163.03(b)(26) that Planning Commission may approve in the General Business Zoning District in which McMakens is located.”

“They are located at McMaken’s IGA three or four, maybe five times a year.” Stephan said.

“Louisiana Grill has previously been approved by planning commission to locate at McMakens, and there have been no issues with the operation of this mobile food vendor at McMakens,” Stephan added.

The special use application is valid for one year.

Reach Terry Baver at [email protected].