The Washington City Council moved forward with plans on Monday night to allow vendor carts in three locations along Stewart Parkway, but the plan has led to concerns among many downtown business owners.

At Monday’s meeting the council amended town law to allow vendors to sell food and beverages along the waterfront if contracted with the city.

Many business owners in Washington’s downtown historical district have expressed concerns with the idea of vendor carts, saying it may draw customers to the waterfront, but it may also draw them away from the stores in the downtown area.

Business owners are also concerned because the owners of the vendor carts will not have to pay the same overhead fees to rent a building and use electricity and will make less of a long-term economic impact on the town.

Doris Schneider, one of the artists at Lemonade Art Gallery, said there are still a lot of unanswered questions, but she’s mostly worried about how the carts will affect the look of the waterfront, possibly ruining the landscape of it.

“So much of what makes people want to come downtown or to Washington is the beautiful waterfront,” she said. “I think it could do as much harm as it could good.”

Schneider said she doesn’t think the prospect of food vendors will negatively affect the business of the art gallery, but she doesn’t think it will have a positive effect either.

“I just think that it’s not going to change the downtown business,” she said. “I don’t think it’s going to start bringing us business.”

Jan Lamoreaux, also an artist at Lemonade Art Gallery, said she agrees with Schneider.

“It won’t hurt our business one way or the other,” she said.

Lamoreaux said she is concerned about the possible noise from keeping the vendor carts powered.

“Nobody knows what they’re going to look like,” she said. “I’m concerned if they have vendors that need to use generators. Generators can be pretty noisy.”

But not all of downtown’s business owners are against the carts.

Joan Meyland, owner of Grub Brothers Eatery, said she understands the problems with cart owners not having to pay the same overhead fees as the brick-and-mortar businesses, but the carts will be at the mercy of the weather.

She said the carts may not be able to operate on the waterfront during colder months and bad weather, but the permanent businesses will still be able to accommodate customers.

“I have no problem with the vendor carts. I think the more the merrier,” she said. “Maybe (customers will) stay and have dinner and shop downtown…I don’t feel like it’s going to affect my business in a negative way.”

Meyland said she’s not worried about the extra competition, and she thinks it could be a good option for people at the waterfront.

“I think it would be convenient for people who are boating,” she said. “I’m just hoping that it will increase traffic flow.”