When Anamika Khanna and Tim Volkema, two of Kasa Indian Eatery’s owners, learned that the Department of Public Works would start taking applications for food-truck permits on Mar. 7, 2011, they camped outside the office for three rainy nights, joining other food-truck owners eager to claim prime locations.
Khanna and Volkema had spent weeks scouting locations for their two unbuilt trucks, and they had specific criteria. “We wanted to not block a storefront, not be near an Indian restaurant, and to observe all the rules around sidewalks and parking places,” Khanna said. Most of the spots they chose were in the Financial District, where they could park for a few hours in a busy area, sell lunch, and leave. They filed their permit applications and paid to send notification letters to all businesses within 300 feet of each site.
Soon after, Moneshpal Josan, owner of a Subway and a 7-Eleven on Drumm Street, received his notification that Kasa was applying for spots at 50 California and 61 Beale, both close to his shops. He immediately filed a protest, as did several other restaurant owners and FiDi property managers.