The future of food trucks, the downtown Omni Building and the North and East Lubbock Community Development Corp. could be decided at Thursday’s City Council meeting.

Members of the council will begin Thursday by convening into open session to discuss the possible uses for the Omni Building. The open session will take place at the City Council Chambers,1625 13th St.

The council entered into a contingency-based contract to purchase the 11-story structure with Lubbock Omni Office, Inc. in July, according to A-J Media archives.

The contract gave the city the ability to have a feasibility study to determine if the building is structurally sound and what the expected costs would be to fix it, while including the option to back out of purchasing the building for $1.2 million.

The contract was for 90 days, and Mayor Glen Robertson said it had since been extended another 45 days, and the deadline to either back out or finalize the contract is a few weeks away. During the almost 135 days, Robertson said architects, engineers, demolition contractors and city staff have inspected the building.

The necessary action to either terminate or amend the contract of sale could be taken during the council meeting Thursday.

Robertson is of the opinion the city should purchase the building and restore it for city use, one possible use being for the Lubbock Police Department. He said this would be a value to taxpayers, which is his main goal, because it would be cheaper to repurpose the downtown building than it would to buy land and build one.

Councilman Jeff Griffith also said he feels like the structure is still usable and he would like to see it restored for a police station. If nothing else, he said the building is such an eyesore that the city needs to do something about it.

And although he is still uncertain of which city departments would use it, Councilman Victor Hernandez also said he thinks the city should purchase and refurbish the building.

NELCDC

The funding of the North and East Lubbock Community Development Corp. will also be a topic of discussion at this week’s council meeting, with two different resolutions up for consideration.

Among other things, the corporation is largely responsible for a 20,000-square-foot retail center named Parkway Place, phase 1 of the subdivision of homes called King’s Dominion across the street from Estacado High School, and probably more importantly, the occupancy of those 27 homes.

These projects — and the corporation’s operating expenses — were funded by the city of Lubbock, private investors, federal grants and donations.

Monique Coleman, executive director of the corporation, previously told A-J Media its operating funds right now are from the city’s grants.

Robertson said his resolution is for the city to no longer fund the NELCDC, but to instead take the money from oil revenue, which would otherwise be included in the city’s general fund, and use it to pave any unpaved streets in North and East Lubbock.

Another resolution is being recommended by Hernandez, which, if passed, would put 75 percent of the funding from revenues generated from mineral interests to the NELCDC, with 25 percent being allocated to the Central Business District Tax Increment Financing for downtown redevelopment.

Hernandez said the resolution also asks for the corporation to submit performance measures to the city that outline goals, proposed and actual projects. He said the resolution should address most of the concerns with the organization, which he said is already much improved from last year.

Food trucks

The first reading of an ordinance that would amend the Code of Ordinances to include “Mobile Food Vendors,” or food trucks, will also be discussed by the council.

Hernandez, with the help of Griffith and various city staffers, has met with food venders and the members of the Lubbock Restaurant Association, as well as studied other zoning ordinances across the state, to propose an ordinance that would allow food trucks to operate inside Lubbock County.

Hernandez said the main points addressed in the ordinance are inspections and locations.

To operate a food truck, the ordinance calls for mobile vendors to complete and submit a $250 application for a Mobile Food Vending Permit, as well as complete all the required inspections through the Fire Marshal’s Office and the Environmental Health Department. The permits would be valid for one year.

To address the location, vendors would not be allowed to operate in residential areas or within 200 feet of the primary entrance of a brick-and-mortar food establishment.

Hernandez, who said he is a strong supporter of food trucks — and a frequent customer when he has a chance — said he has received strong support from the people he has talked to and hopes to see the resolution passed.

matt.dotray@lubbockonline.com

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