Printer Friendly Version - Branford Approves New Food Truck Park

Well-known local food truck Tacos Flores will be noticeable part of successful food truck park applicant Jordan Flowers’ plan. Plans were approved by Branford’s Planning and Zoning Commission July 7. Image from TacosFlores_CT on Instagram Photo courtesy of Image from TacosFlores_CT on Instagram

This location at 257 East Main St. is the future home of a food truck park approved to operate in Branford. Photo by Pam Johnson/The Sound Photo courtesy of Photo by Pam Johnson/The Sound

In a town already known for its exceptional array of eateries, Branford’s Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) has cleared the way to welcome a food truck park that will stand at 257 East Main St. The property will feature up to three food trucks, said entrepreneur Jordan Flowers, including his current flagship food truck, Tacos Flores.

Initial plans for the park will include 12 off-street customer parking spaces in a small parking area at the front of the lot, a decorative stone area designated for food truck parking, a small building for non-cooking food preparation, cold storage, and bathroom purposes; and an outdoor picnic area with tables (a total of nine picnic tables appear on the plan).

Future plans for the site call for the construction of a two-story pavilion of approximately 870 square feet. In reviewing the plan with the PZC on July 7, project engineer Jim Pretti (Criscuolo Engineering, Branford) said the expectation is that the pavilion will have patron tables on the second floor with the space beneath it to be utilized for lawn games as well as for accessible dining areas.

At nearly an acre, the lot includes 85 feet of frontage on East Main Street. Neighboring businesses are Express Tire, 253 East Main St., and Branford law offices of Fasano, Ippolito, Lee & Florentine , LLC at 261 East Main St.

Mainly open field at present, the deep lot extends back towards marsh and a curve in the Branford River. Proper soil and erosion control, as well as adhering to all flood plain provisions, are included requirements of the application’s approval. The plan also provides underground storm water systems for paved areas as well as the storage building and proposed future pavilion.

The PZC heard from Pretti and Flowers during a public hearing at its Zoom-based meeting of July 7, during its review of an application for a Special Exception & Coastal Site Plan for a food truck park. The application was submitted by Flowers and property owner Robert Lundgren.

Flowers told the PZC his current food truck, Tacos Flores, is based out of Guilford and fully permitted to operate in several jurisdictions including Branford. It also regularly serves customers at events statewide.

“My idea is to bring that novelty of the food truck experience to a physical location, and that allows me to do multiple things with the business, as well as to go other places,” said Flowers.

He said “building small” on the Branford site, which would become his “central headquarters,” makes economic sense, while also developing a unique community venue in town.

“I think that it’s something that, in this form, could become a great business; and the offerings, I think, would add a lot to the community,” Flowers said. “I think they have already; and I'm excited to make that more of permanent feature.”

PZC chair Charles “Chuck” Andres asked if the locale would be set up as a seasonal business. Flowers answered that while food trucks in this region generally conduct 80 percent of their business between the months of May and September, he feels the food truck park will provide an opportunity to develop year-round business.

“What I've noticed is that there is demand for these things; and if I had a physical structure, what it allows me to is to get more utilization capacity out of the asset,” Flowers said.

That would include being set up as a location providing for customers to take-out food year-round.

“I think of it like a temporary outdoor space; but a year-round offering,” said Flowers of the food truck park. “That would be the goal, is to have a year-round offerings. But in terms of seating and outdoor area ... that would be seasonal.”

Flowers welcomed commissioner Sharon Huttner’s suggestion that he take advantage of being located in an “economic justice zone,” where EV charging stations are encouraged; especially at a time when utility companies, including Eversource, are offering incentives and access to funding for businesses to install EV charging stations.

“It actually is on-point for what I would like to do,” Flowers replied, adding that, at some point, he’d also like to install solar panels on the buildings so he can become “self-sufficient, from an energy perspective.”

“EV is a really creative way to operate one of these businesses,” said Flowers.

No one from the public asked to comment during the July 7 hearing. The PZC closed the hearing and later returned to the item to vote on the item.

Ahead of the vote, several conditions were added to the resolution to approve the application, including those regarding lighting, installation of native plantings, and allowing for modification of the site plan to incorporate future EV charging and future solar panels.

Five PZC members were present at the July 7 meeting and voted unanimously to approve the application for a special exception and coastal site plan. Members making the vote were Andres, Huttner, Joseph Chadwick, Joseph Vaiuso and Fred Russo.