Lakeland City Commission approved a lease agreement Monday that gives the go-ahead to create a food truck park at 802 N. Massachusetts Ave.

LAKELAND — Music will be playing, craft beer will be flowing and locals of all ages will soon be relaxing.

During Monday's meeting, the City Commission voted to approve the lease agreement with Project Redfish to create a food truck park known as the "Yard on Mass" at 802 N. Massachusetts Ave. The initial agreement will be for three years.

“The thing we really want to focus on is community,” Craig Morby, a managing partner with Project Redfish, told The Ledger on Monday morning. “We look forward to being another cog in a redevelopment area. The city has been a great partner in this.”

The entity will be leasing a 0.56-acre site, which was once a car dealership, at the corner of North Massachusetts Avenue and East Parker Street. The plans include a 2,500-square-feet building with event space, patio space and mezzanine. Food trucks, of course, will be outdoors as will cabanas along Massachusetts Avenue.

“The design is to have four food trucks on a rotating basis,” Morby said. “We're looking at a very family-friendly, multi-generation space. We're not a late-night bar.”

Morby said he anticipates being open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Should the city ever decide to sell the property, the leaser will have right of first refusal.

“We really want to energize this area,” City Manager Tony Delgado said. “The fact that Mass Market is already doing really well … this is an ideal spot and compliments that.”

Morby said his business partners came up with a similar concept out in Boulder, Colorado. Morby will work with craft breweries in the region to serve their beer on tap at the location.

“It's certainly a different culture here than in Boulder,” Morby said. “It's something that really took root out west before getting more popular here in Florida."

Although beer will not be brewed on location, Morby said the concept was not all that different to Grove Roots in Winter Haven. The only food will be sold by the trucks.

"We're making some in-roads into building relationships," Morby said. "Overwhelmingly, we've seen nothing but encouragement.”

The city's Community Redevelopment Agency is donating $250,000 to the project. Project Redfish will not be required to pay rent for the first six months, but the rent will initially be about $15,000 annually with a 5 percent increase each year. The $15,000 amounts to $6 per square feet of building space.

“The CRA has seen the success of the Food Truck Rally; they've seen the success of these in other cities,” Delgado said. “They're pretty much popping up everywhere.”

Either party may opt out of the lease at the end of three years, but the lease can be renewed for three years with approval of the City Commission. Project Redfish will be required to host a minimum of 12 events annually.

“That can be anything from live music to coordinating with other entities,” Delgado said. “I see other things springing off from this.”

Morby said he hopes to have plans in place by February to get ready for permitting. Groundbreaking is targeted for March 1. Morby said he hopes to be open in September.

“It's been an ongoing commitment from the CRA and the city to continue enhancing that area,” Delgado said. “We think it's a great opportunity.”

Mike Ferguson can be reached at Mike.Ferguson@theledger.com or 863-802-7545. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson.