The Hermiston City Council will discuss proposed rule changes regarding mobile food vendors at tonight’s meeting.
In a memo to the council, City Planner Clint Spencer said the changes are designed to ease entry into the mobile food market in Hermiston as well as create specific requirements for how vendors are actually operating under the code.
The proposed changes include:
- Four types of licenses are created and the 90-day license is eliminated. The standard
mobile vending license is split into two categories, an annual truck license and a 30-day
cart license. - Trucks are required to move once a week for twelve hours rather than daily.
- The 400-foot spacing requirement is eliminated for trucks and carts. Rather than
regulating specific locations, the city retains control over the total number of licenses
available. - The requirement for three parking spaces for a truck is eliminated and is changed to
demonstrating that there is sufficient parking available for the existing permitted
commercial structure and the truck. - The requirement that trucks be painted white, or a neutral color is eliminated.
The proposed revisions are based on requests and concerns raised by existing and potential food vendors in interactions with city staff. Spencer said they are also based on a survey of food vending regulations in eastern Oregon in general. According to Spencer, Hermiston’s code governing mobile food vendors is more detailed than any city surveyed.
The council will discuss, but not adopt the proposed rule changes at tonight’s meeting. Spencer said a final version of the ordinance will be prepared for adoption at the next council meeting based on the discussion and direction of the council.
Tonight’s council meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at Hermiston City Hall, following a council workshop at 6 p.m. The meeting can also be seen on the city’s YouTube channel.
