Late last month, neighbors at Polk & Bush streets received notice from San Francisco Public Works that a hot dog truck has applied for a permit to operate in front of the First Congregational Church of San Francisco on weekends—and some aren't too keen on the idea.
According to a Notice of Intent that was posted and mailed to neighbors by SF Public Works, The Huge Hotdog Concession has requested the city's permission to sell hot dogs, chips, sodas, nuts and crackers out of a truck parked on the north side of Bush Street, 25 feet east of Polk. It would operate exclusively on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from 8pm-2am.
The corner of Polk and Bush, where The Huge Hotdog Concession hopes to legal sell hotdogs to weekend evening crowds. (Photo: Google Maps)
The applicant behind The Huge Hotdog Concession is Antonia Arana, of Oakland. She already has a full-time job in the accounting department of the US Postal Service in San Mateo, but is trying to open her own hot dog business on weekends to make ends meet. She chose the location at 1300 Polk St. because she thought it would be less intrusive to the neighborhood and other businesses, especially if she only operated at night.
Aware that locals may have concerns about her plans, Arana said she wants to ensure that she's not causing any problems for the neighborhood. "The main thing that I was thinking about was trash. I plan to have containers there and make sure when I leave there is no trash," she said. "I don't want to have complaints."
But concerns are already being raised about Arena's proposed hot dog truck. At the Lower Polk Neighbors' January meeting, secretary and board member Chris Schulman said that a majority of the association's members expressed concern about the prospect of having a mobile food business at 1300 Polk.
While the group has not taken an official position on the application, an informal vote of about 25 members present indicated that a majority were opposed to the plan.
Lower Polk has been trying to curb its reputation for rowdy nightlife, restricting the availability of new liquor licenses. Schulman said that illegal food carts, which cater to patrons of the corridor's many bars, are part of the problem. “There are fights around the food carts, and all kinds of problems with noise and trash,” he said.
So far, 12 letters opposing Arana's truck have been sent to Public Works, including five from the manager of an apartment building on the corner of Polk and Bush, and two from the Lower Polk Business Collaborative.
Echoing Schulman, several of the letters cite issues with illegal food vendors in the neighborhood as the basis of their objections. "There is currently an unlicensed food vendor that sets up in front of our storefront four nights a week, starting around 10pm," wrote Mark Cameron, owner of People's Barber & Shop (1259 Polk St.) "We have pleaded with them to clean up after their mess, and for three years, we've still had to clean EVERY MORNING due to their presence."
Another nearby resident argued that a mobile food vendor would attract rowdy, inconsiderate crowds. Based on her experience with taco stands on her block, she believed a new vendor would "add considerably more refuse on the street, in our planters, in our doorways, and down our alleyway (Frank Norris Street)."
A hot dog vendor on Polk Street in 2013. (Photo: Roshan Vyas/Flickr)
But despite neighbors' concerns about illegal mobile food carts around Polk, Public Works says they haven't received any official complaints relating to the neighborhood. A rep confirmed that the department has received 106 complaints about illegal mobile food carts since it began managing and processing mobile food vendor permits, but none of them were connected to Polk Street.
The last day to comment on The Huge Hotdog Concession's application is Friday, Jan. 29th. Letters of support and opposition can be filed by visiting bsm.sfdpw.org, clicking "Comment on Permit" and entering 15MFF-0136. Opinions can also be mailed to Department of Public Works, Bureau of Street-Use & Mapping, 1155 Market St, 3rd floor, San Francisco, CA 94103.
Aware that some neighbors have submitted their concerns to Public Works, Schulman said he expected a public hearing to be held in February. Public Works says no hearing has been scheduled as of yet.
As for Arena, she told us that she'd like to hear from anyone with concerns she's not aware of.
Polk Street neighbors and frequenters: What are your thoughts on mobile food vendors in the area? Enough is enough, or the more the merrier?
