NAPA VALLEY REGISTER
Food truck ‘park’ proposed for Soscol Avenue near downtown Napa
A food truck “park” has been proposed for mostly empty lot at 784 Soscol Ave. Longtime locals will recall this was once the home of The Depot restaurant
If the plans go forward, Napans — and visitors — could soon have a new place to find food truck fare.
A food truck “park” has been proposed for the mostly empty lot at 784 Soscol Ave., between Third and Fourth streets in Napa.
Called Napa Social, the food truck collective would occupy a former car dealership space and parking area for the longtime Napa restaurant The Depot.
Applicants Christian Osuna, Thomas Dieveney and Marcus Marquez have asked the city for a use permit to open the food truck park, which would feature as many as 10 trucks parked in a U-shape.
Asked about their proposal this past week, Osuna and Dieveney declined to talk about their plans before the use permit is approved, but their project description includes a fair amount of detail.
Napa Social will be “a food park that offers the community an inviting place to meet friends and family for a meal in a casual and comfortable setting,” one that fits with the style of one-of-a-kind Napa Valley, read the project application.
The food truck complex on Soscol Avenue could be open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, although some days could have shorter hours, said the proposal. Parking would be located at the site.
At Napa Social “residents and visitors can explore casual food offerings while supporting local entrepreneurs. Napa Social encourages social interaction, strengthens community bonds, and offers a culinary experience that complements the region’s rich culinary culture.”
Napa County is already known for world-class wineries and restaurants, read the application, and a well-organized food truck park would offer “an accessible and family-friendly option for locals and visitors.”
According to the applicants, a designated food truck park would also improve safety “by centralizing mobile food vendors in a regulated and well-maintained location.”
Such a dedicated space “ensures compliance with health and zoning regulations, promotes responsible waste management, and provides necessary amenities such as seating, lighting, restroom facilities (and) regular waste management.”
The seating will include picnic tables and other casual tables and chairs. “Light music” could be offered occasionally, “for ambiance.” Public restrooms and water will be available.
The three Napa Social “project leaders” have a range of experience in the industry.
Osuna lives in Napa and has a food truck currently operating in the Napa Valley, Tacos El Rodeo, which usually parks on Soscol Avenue.
Dieveney has lived in Napa Valley since 2013 and has a background in finance and entrepreneurship. He is also the co-founder of CT Design + Build in Napa Valley.
Marquez, the creative director of the project, has been in the Napa Valley food scene for many years. He is also listed as the co-creator and winery estate general manager at Brasswood Estate in St. Helena.
Napa hasn’t had an official food truck park or corral for some time.
Food Truck Fridays, a monthly gathering of mobile vendors, began in September 2010 on First Street near McKinstry Street and attracted as many as 400 people.
Eventually, the city shut down Food Truck Fridays over code violations and lack of a use permit, the Register reported.
In 2015 a Napa food truck owner proposed a food truck roundup called the Action Avenue Truck Stop. It would have been set up in a parking lot on Action Avenue in Napa. Those plans did not progress.
In July 2016, the Gasser Foundation received a permit to open a temporary food-truck corral on vacant building pads of the South Napa Century Center. It closed in 2018 to make room for the construction of permanent restaurants at the center.