Portland is a small city, with a lot of competing interests in a limited amount of space. That’s what I think about in the current roil over food trucks at the Eastern Prom.

Some people seek peace at the city park. They want to go there and commune with nature. Some like to launch their boats or stroll there or take their little ones to the playground. Some like it crowded, full of events and energy – the more bodies, the better.

And then there are the food truck operators, who line up there to sell their specialties – sushi, banh mi, doughnuts and more. They draw a lot of fans, but they’ve also generated complaints – about pedestrian safety, parking, the trash that customers leave behind.

The city has come up with a pilot program to put food trucks in a parking lot, off the main roadway. It held a lottery today to fill 10 spots in the lot. Some very popular food trucks didn’t make the cut.

If you read our recent stories below and scroll down to the comments at the bottom of them, you’ll see just how divided Portland opinions are about the merits of the pilot, the fairness of the lottery system, the best use of public park space in the city.

In our newspaper, we try to take in the diversity of voices, to sort out the facts, to keep you informed about different opinions, new developments, ongoing debate. And this story, I think, is far from over.

How do you reach consensus in the city about such a popular spot and how it should be used? Is it possible? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

– As always, thanks for reading, Nita