Langley will soon have its first permitted food truck, and the food abides.

Joe Wierzbowski, a chef at Cafe Langley, received enthusiastic approval from the Langley City Council at its regular meeting Monday for the city’s first food truck license. Operating as the Big W and using references to the film “The Big Lebowski,” the former Rochester, N.Y. resident hopes to bring a modern take on classic dishes to residents and visitors.

“A new twist on old favorites,” he said in a phone interview Tuesday morning after attending the council meeting.

Naming his truck and signature dish after the dark comedy is fitting, given that his idea of owning a food truck and pursuing it as his full-time job started as a joke between his wife and himself.

The Big W will be the first permitted food truck in Langley, though the city has had its applications available since February.

Langley set up its first rules for licensing food trucks earlier this year and sent out a request for proposals. After no proposals and no applications were submitted, the city opened the process to first-come, first-served for one of two public parking spots.

“I was delighted to see their proposal,” said Langley Director of Community Planning Michael Davolio.

In addition to the $100 application fee and $125 business license, Wierzbowski will pay $1,000 for use of the public parking space.

The price of the city’s food truck permit and open-ended proposal for use of the space was again questioned by the city council. As at previous meetings, Councilwoman Rene Neff asked if Langley was pricing itself out of competition with the county and other nearby areas.

“We want you to make money,” she said.

The planning director said he was not certain how competitive it was with places like Clinton or Freeland, which combined have one consistent food truck. But Wierzbowski said his $1,000 offer should be sufficient.

“Considering the city’s offering me basically a parking spot, I think it’s more than a fair offer,” Wierzbowski told the council.

Wierzbowski’s truck will take an unmarked curbside space along First Street at the intersection of Anthes Avenue, right in front of Hladky Park/Whale Bell Park. His plan is to be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday through Sunday, May 22 through Labor Day weekend in September this year. The season was defined by input from existing restaurants in Langley.

Before he can serve up his signature kielbasa dish, The Big Wierzbowski, his license approval will need to have a few conditions met. He still needs to have his truck’s design approved by the Department of Labor and Industries, then approved by Island County Public Health, and finally approved by the City of Langley Community Planning.

The truck is 8 feet wide and 24 feet long, Wierzbowski said, and is still being built by a company in Bremerton. If needed, four people can work inside, though he plans to only have two at the start of the season later this month.

“It’s meant to fit my needs,” he said.

Langley will also make sure that the space on First Street is not violating a fire lane. Anthes Avenue continues down toward the water past First Street, and onto Seawall Park as an emergency access. The spot was believed by Davolio and Wierzbowski to be positioned in such a way that emergency response vehicles can access Seawall Park.

A compromise sought by the city council was to offer an electrical connection that would be billed, or possibly included in the $1,000 offer by Wierzbowski, so that a generator isn’t necessary. One of the city’s concerns about food trucks was the noise created by generators.

In addition to being in Langley four days a week between May and September, Wierzbowski said he plans to locate in other areas, though he did not specify where and when.

“Anywhere the truck can drive, I can serve food,” he said.