Food trucks will now be able to park and open up for business on vacant lots down near the Metro-North train station in what is known as Beacon's Linkage District. The Linkage District was designated as special piece of property in order "to increase the vitality, attractiveness and marketability of the part of the City of Beacon lying between Main Street and the Metro-North Train Station," according to its stated purpose. In shaping what it hopes will increase "walkability" and encourage a "vibrant" environment in that area, the City Council voted unanimously (Amber Grant was absent from the meeting) in favor of the addition of this type of land use during its meeting on January 16, 2018. (Read the legal-eagle documentation here.)

Where Is The Linkage District?

Some of your favorite businesses are located in the Linkage District, like BCAP (Be Creative As Possible), 2 Way Brewing, SallyeAnder's warehouse (not the public retail location - that's at the far other end of town near the mountain), and others. New to the area are Beacon Pilates, which has been in town for 13 years but has moved to a new location, and a soon-to-open TrueValue Hardware store from Brett (!!), filling the void left after the beloved Nichols closed a few years ago.

So When and What Can We Eat?

Several regulations are in place for how the food trucks need to operate. For example, there's a rule that a truck shall put spikes down on a vacant lot that has no other use, and that it can only operate for "a maximum of only one two-consecutive-year" period. During the Public Comment portion of the food truck consideration, which was open over the course of several City Council meetings, Beacon resident Theresa Kraft spoke to request that the treatment of trash be more closely monitored or enforced by a "Garbage Police." Tables and chairs will be allowed, but cannot block the sidewalk or fire hydrants, and the whole setup must be ADA compliant. So many more details can be found here at the City's website.

Beacon has experience with food trucks, like the hot dog kind near the post office, and high-concept ones, like the former Beacon Bite, who made their own ketchup (to the horror of some children who needed to BYOK - bring your own ketchup) but whose food was delicious and made for foodies, neighbored by a second cart - The Beacon Pie Company - which made that corner of town near Ella's Bellas especially delicious and invigorating.