PEORIA, Ill. – The City of Peoria is working to bring food carts back to downtown and move forward with a new industrial business park, according to City Manager Patrick Urich.
Urich discussed both initiatives during an interview on WMBD Radio’s “The Phil Luciano Show.” The items were scheduled for Tuesday’s city council meeting, which was canceled due to weather. They will be on the agenda for the March 24 meeting.
The city is waiving all fees for food carts and food trucks operating downtown and expanding the areas where they can operate.
“For the last couple of years, what we’ve done is we’ve expanded the areas where the food trucks could operate, and we’ve waived the fees for all of our food carts and food trucks that are operating in downtown,” Urich said.
Downtown Peoria once had 10 to 15 food carts but currently has none. Last year, one hot dog cart operated between OSF and Caterpillar headquarters on Adams Street.
The city is also increasing the number of food truck licenses from three to five and expanding the zones where they can operate beyond the previous restrictions near the Civic Center and Courthouse Plaza.
“Our hope is that we’ll see more carts this year and more food trucks,” Urich said. “The intent is more activity, more vibrancy.”
Many of the previous food carts were operated by local restaurants looking to reach downtown workers, Urich noted.
Also, the city and Peoria County are moving forward with plans to develop a multimillion-dollar business park on Galena Road in north Peoria.
The county purchased approximately 53 acres from the water company about 18 months ago. The city received a $600,000 earmark from Congressman Darin LaHood to reimburse the county for costs, and the city and county plan to jointly apply to the state for infrastructure funding.
The city council will consider rezoning the property from residential to industrial. The area is part of the Galena Road Industrial Park Tax Increment Financing district, which extends from Gardner Lane to the city’s fire academy along Route 29.
Urich said the development addresses a critical need in the region.
“One of the challenges that we have in the region is a lack of industrial land to attract manufacturing businesses, to attract other types of businesses to an area, to attract logistics and warehousing,” Urich said.
The 50-plus acres would provide space for light manufacturing, business parks, or warehousing that would bring “good head of household jobs” to Peoria, according to Urich.
Greater Peoria Economic Development Council officials regularly receive proposals from companies looking to locate in the area but have struggled with available industrial land, Urich said.
Both items are expected to be considered at the city council meeting on March 24.
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