Garfield Township ends food truck ban, approves commons trail loop

Garfield Township trustees approved zoning and licensing changes on June 23 that end the township’s blanket ban on mobile food vending units and a contract for construction of the Grand Traverse Commons North Trail Loop.

Under the new rules, food trucks will be allowed only as an accessory to an established commercial business, and no more than one unit will be permitted per business. Any location still must pass review and approval by the Metro Fire Department.

The change followed planning commission review in May and public hearings. Before the vote, the township was one of the few local jurisdictions with a blanket food-truck ban. Bryan Roth, owner of Atomic Properties on Cass Road, which houses Seismoto Coffee Bar, Nocturnal Bloom Brewing and Acorn Kitchen, backed the zoning changes but asked commissioners to consider one additional change.

Trustees also approved a contract for construction of the Grand Traverse Commons North Trail Loop, a universally accessible trail planned for the northern portion of the 140-acre Grand Traverse Commons Natural Area. The route is designed as a 1.35-mile loop and includes about 3,000 linear feet of new crushed-gravel trail, about 3,000 linear feet of rehabilitated crushed-gravel trail, roughly 600 linear feet of prefabricated boardwalk, a prefabricated pedestrian foot bridge, timber retaining walls, culverts, riparian controls, rest areas and native vegetation restoration.

The Commons Natural Area is overseen by the Grand Traverse City of Traverse City & Charter Township of Garfield Recreational Authority. Garfield Township adopted its Commons Natural Area design plan on Jan. 10, 2023 as part of the 2023-2027 Parks and Recreation Master Plan.

The trail work was funded through Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant TF23-0025, a $300,000 Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant for the accessible trail loop. Team Elmers submitted a $1,572,500 base bid for the North Trail Loop, while township reviewers recommended awarding Walton Contracting as the lower bid.