KALAMAZOO, MI --

The

has unanimously adopted a

.

The ordinance will for the first time allow food trucks to operate on public streets in Kalamazoo. Vendors can operate downtown, as long as they are at least 150 feet away from an established restaurant that is open for business.

City Planner Andrea Augustine said applications for mobile food vendors should be available for pickup by Friday. The city will start accepting those applications Aug. 30.

Nicole Angelo, owner of i heart ipanema, a downtown clothing store on Lovell Street, said a lot of attention has been given to the Kalamazoo Mall, but she would like more attention shown to their end of the block.

"We would love to see the food trucks be able to position themselves on Lovell Street," she said.

She said food trucks in Portland, Ore., are a vibrant part of that city. "We're excited about the young culture this could mean for Kalamazoo," she said.

Meanwhile, Dean Hauck, owner of Michigan News Agency, said she has talked to some 20 restaurant owners and five food truck operators, and each person has a different take on the ordinance. She questioned whether it would hurt "the brick and mortar, mom and pop restaurants."

"The argument for the food trucks is that it would bring vitality and energy to downtown Kalamazoo, but the food truck concept needs to be handled very carefully by you people," she told city commissioners Monday.

Food trucks will not be able to park on Michigan Department of Transportation rights-of-way: Michigan Avenue, Kalamazoo Avenue, Park Street, Westnedge Avenue and Stadium Drive, according to a city memo. Food trucks also must operate 500 feet from a city-approved festival or special event, unless the operator has permission from an event operator to locate closer.

License fees for a food truck vendor for the 2012 season are $250 and expire on Dec. 31. Starting in 2013, licenses will cost $500 a year. In 2012, 10 licenses will be available for food truck operators on a first-come, first-served basis.

City commissioners at their regular meeting Monday also amended

to allow bakeries, microbreweries, woodworking studios, jewelry studios and craft food production downtown.

"I'm happy we're doing this," Commissioner Barb Miller said of the zoning changes. "Manufacturing to me is a lot of metal and steel pounding, that sort of thing, not necessarily bread and beer."

Emily Monacelli is a government and taxes reporter for the Kalamazoo Gazette. Contact her at emonacel@mlive.com. Follow her on Twitter.