Planning Board Grants One-Year Approval to Wild Bill's Food Truck
Wild Bill's Chuck Wagon will remain at Popcorn Park without a site plan waiver but will have to return to the Planning Board in another year for administrative approval again
Wild Bill’s Chuck Wagon will be able to remain at Popcorn Park Zoo without going before the Planning Board for site plan approval, for now.
The food truck came to the township four or five years ago to be stationed part-time at Popcorn Park Zoo, Committeeman and Planning Board Member Gary Quinn previously said. The applicant received administrative approval, which has been extended each year.
At Tuesday night’s Planning Board meeting, the applicant asked the board to consider granting a waiver for an extended period of time such as five or 10 years before returning for administrative approval.
“It’s getting tougher and tougher in this economy,” he said. “We were out there working at the zoo the last couple of years and we had a slip this year with a couple of different things,” the applicant said. “We would like to continue doing business out there.”
In September, the board discussed whether it should continue to grant the applicant administrative approval to remain at Popcorn Park or if it should return for a site plan waiver.
Because township’s zoning laws have changed regarding the operation of food trucks since Wild Bill’s Chuck Wagon’s original approval, the board weighed the good with the bad then.
Business stands are no longer a permitted use in town because they compete with local businesses that pay taxes, Committeeman Gary Quinn previously said when an issue with Dewey’s Dogs arose. An office building is being built where Dewey’s was formally located, and the food truck had to relocate to a storefront.
But Quinn said it wasn’t a matter of impact to the township because Wild Bill’s benefits Popcorn Park Zoo, with 50 percent of the beverage and 10 percent of the food profits going to the animal rescue organization. Returning for a site plan waiver would be a great expense.
“We have a very good working relationship,” the owner said. “They do very well. They’re very happy. It hurt them a lot not to have me out there this year.”
In September, the board agreed to allow Wild Bill’s to remain without requiring a site plan but did not grant him extended approval.
“Although that would be the logical thing to do, unfortunately, if we open that door it’s setting a precedence,” Quinn said.
The board has many applicants who return yearly for temporary administrative approval who would be seeking an extended waiver if one was granted to Wild Bill’s, he said.
Quinn recommended that the applicant address the township Committee in January to see if the uses and fees can be adjusted.
“I know the fees are killing you,” Quinn said of Wild Bill’s having to pay for the waiver yearly.
“It’s killing us,” the owner said.
stephen james
11:05 am on Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Looks like dewey dogs truck was railroaded by the town, but wild bill still gets to operate? Everyone has been struggling in this economy, doesnt seem fair does it? Giving some of his profits to the zoo makes it ok? Wow if i have ever seen wrong doing by a township this is it! Maby if dewey offered a handout he would still be able to operate out of HIS truck in town. WOW i cant belive this decision by the township of forked river.
PeopleAnnoyMe
12:35 pm on Wednesday, October 10, 2012
I look at like this.. KARMA is def a BI**H!!!! This Dewey Dog guy took money from Uncle Eddie's hot dog stand (WHICH WAS THERE VERY LONG BEFORE THIS DEWEY CAME ALONG), so now hes going to see how it feels to lose money as well!!!
MARY GEIGER MILANI
10:34 pm on Saturday, October 13, 2012
KARMA IS A BLESSING. Uncle Eddie threw his own money out his own window with his own product and his own service.
stephen james
1:12 pm on Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Guess its the same as home depot putting square deal out of bussiness where he stood too, huh?, township approval on that one too! what happened to the taco truck at the laundry mat? What happened to the chineese buffet? The chineese rest. By shoprite put him out of bussiness? Everyone deserves a chance, it depends on the quality of your product and the treatment of customers that brings people back its not the taking from other peoples bussiness from the way i see it, its good for some and not for others in Forked river i guess huh? Keep up the good product and service in the STORE FRONT that you were froced into to stay in busdiness now dewey !! GOOD LUCK !
patrick geiger (son of dewey)
9:58 pm on Saturday, October 13, 2012
@PeopleAnnoyMe
If uncle Eddies served a good product some of his customers would have never left his truck, instead they went to DEWEY'S DOGS where the were pleased with the
the product,and most were never his customers in the first place!! not once have you ever seen a line form outside his truck like at DEWEY'S,now that should be telling
you something NO!!! His customers came to DEWEY'S truck with nothing but bad things to say about his hotdogs,besides he advertises sabrett hotdogs and doesn't even sell them,as for (how it feels to lose money)buisiness is better then ever and there still are no lines forming outside his truck ,people still have nothing but negative comments about his hotdogs!! so feel free to visit his truck as long as you enjoy his hotdogs!!
MARY GEIGER MILANI
10:35 pm on Saturday, October 13, 2012
Good steppin' up Pat
MARY GEIGER MILANI
10:26 pm on Saturday, October 13, 2012
Let me set the record straight. Dewey's has always paid their taxes every quarter just like any other business. How did this rumor start. If the taxes were an issue , they should have asked to see the paperwork. We paid our rent for the property just like any other business. Get the facts straight before you open your mouths. The laws apply to everyone. and yes municipal communications has fallen apart since we could no longer afford to do charities for the town.
MARY GEIGER (DAUGHTER OF DEWEY)