HERMISTON — After several months of public testimony and requests, the Hermiston City Council at its meeting Monday, Aug. 26, amended its rules for mobile food vendors.

The amendments are aimed at easing entry into the mobile food vendor business.

The city conducted an online survey in May to gather the community’s view of food trucks and opinions on whether the mobile vendor license should be updated. The survey was completed by 388 respondents, and 71% said there should be more mobile vendors in Hermiston, while 58% were in favor of continuing some restrictions on location.

The biggest change to the rules is the elimination of the requirement that vendors must be 400 feet away from an existing brick-and-mortar restaurant or mobile food vendor. City Planner Clint Spencer said in previous discussions the spacing requirement made it virtually impossible to set up a food truck on Highway 395.

The new rules include four types of licenses:

Type 1 is for a food vendor operating a temporary restaurant from a self-contained pushcart, truck, trailer or other conveyance of less than 100 square feet. A Type 1 license is valid for 30 days at any one location.

Type 2 licenses are for vendors operating from a self-contained truck or trailer and are valid for one year and may be renewed for the same location. The site must be vacated for 12 hours at least once a week.

Type 3 licenses are issued for temporary, nonrecurring events such as street fairs, carnivals or similar events.

Type 4 licenses are for vendors operating from a self-contained truck or trailer that primarily serve workers or employees at that site.

Spencer said city staff also received a recommendation from Umatilla County Health making a slight modification to the language for Type 1 and Type 2 licenses, clarifying that units must be self-contained and removing the reference to tents as those will not be permitted by Umatilla County Health unless used in conjunction with a specific event.

There will be three available Type 1 licenses, six available Type 2 licenses, no limits for Type 3 licenses, and two available Type 4 licenses. There are three mobile food vendors operating in the city with a Type 2 license.

The changes also eliminate the requirement to paint trucks white or a neutral color.

City Councilor Jackie Linton said she was concerned the wording in the ordinance would give people the impression they could set up a cart or truck on anyone’s private property.

The ordinance, however, requires written permission from the property owner prior to getting a license. The location also must be in a commercial zone with pavement.

“It has to be approved by the property owner, but it has to be approved by the city,” Mayor Dave Drotzmann said. “So, you’re going to look at every application ahead of time and make sure that all those requirements are met.”

Councilor Roy Barron asked if there would be an opportunity to increase the number of available licenses in the future.

“The council will always have the authority to increase or decrease the number of licenses,” Spencer said. “You have the authority in the end to decide how many there will be.”

The city also is increasing the mobile food unit licensing fees, which the council last adopted in 2018. The new fees are $200 for the Type 1, 30-day license; $700 for the Type 2, one-year license; $50 for the Type 3, event license; and $300 for the Type 4, lunch truck license.

To read the entire ordinance, visit shorturl.at/me4tM.