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The city council convened its third remote video session Tuesday evening due to social distancing surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. During the meeting, a new concept plan was proposed for a ground floor Taco Bowl with medical offices above. Both uses are conditional in commercial zones, however, there are questions as to whether a joint lobby meets code requirements or would pass county health department standards.
In the meeting, Bob Urbanton, City Planner, explained, “The council will need to determine if the proposal meets our food-based business requirements as the customers of the gastroenterology clinic would need to enter through the Taco Bowl lobby. We would generally frown upon a shared entrance, but it is a discretionary decision reserved for the elected body.”
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The applicant, Steve Beauregard, of Tasty! Brands, made a case for the shared access citing it as necessary for both businesses. He said, “The hybrid stores are doing extremely well in other markets and Utah-based focus groups. This is something that will be of benefit to your residents. You could say we want services coming out of both ends here.”
Council Member Stetson stated his biggest concern was public safety, pointing out the public health crisis created should gastro clients not be able to make it all the way to the second floor before having a gastrointestinal crisis in the Taco Bowl. He stated it could be a severe problem for food-borne illness.
Beauregard was quick to point out that the issue had been debated at corporate ‘ad nauseum,’ particularly during this time of COVID-19 pandemic, and the solution was an emergency restroom with a sanitation station in the vestibule.
Council Member Bolli remarked that the business model seemed not to be fulfilling a need, but to be creating it by fueling both problems. “Here you have questionable food creating gastrointestinal crises, with a gastroenterology practice promoting questionable food.”
Beauregard didn’t deny it. “From our perspective, certainly, the opportunity for cross-promotion is a huge one. We’d benefit from promotions on the gastro side like a free taco coupon with every colonoscopy or upper GI scan, and then on the Taco Bowl side, some rebranding of products like Diarrhitos Locos Taco and Gordita Colon Cleanse Crunch. There’s nothing questionable about it, it’s just smart business.”
Beauregard also mentioned the ability for customers of both to combine trips, but was questioned by a council member on the logic of it, “If you eat Taco Bowl and need to go to the gut doctor, there’s at least a couple hour digestive time there I don’t think you’re accounting for. I find it likely the customer would end up going home and then return again some hours later after gastrointestinal distress hits rather than combining trips. This is still all a little bit too hard to digest.”
Stetson questioned whether it was within the purview of the city council to dictate to private corporations that they cannot cause gastrointestinal crises stating that “this is America after all.”
Ultimately, a straw poll of the city council indicated it was appropriate for Tasty! Brands to move forward with a formal application, with only Council Member Bolli dissenting on the grounds it was a crappy proposal.
