[OMS_MANAGERS] Food Cart Pod Questions

Wed Oct 22 09:35:18 PDT 2025

We are in the process of updating our mobile vending code to better manage food trucks.  Ours is going to be a two track process (single pad or pod) that requires the property owner to certify the location - we currently require the food truck to apply, so this will enable food trucks to rotate through an approved site more easily.   Polk County handles the health inspections and we require any food truck to be approved by them before opening.

We've had some concerns from brick and mortar restaurants so we will likely be capping the number of food truck sites in our downtown.  We have seven currently (I wouldn't have guessed that many until we added them up) and will be grandfathering the existing locations.  We don't have a true pod yet, although the brewery typically has three or four, but we're treating a pod more like a restaurant - need to have a restroom, parking, ADA access, etc.  One thing to consider is when and how to charge System Development Charges.   If someone built a new brick and mortar restaurant, they would need to pay SDCs.  We decided that if a food truck location was going to create a permanent connection to water and sewer, that would trigger SDCs - which are still less than if you built a restaurant.  A food truck with its own water and grey water tank would not trigger SDCs.  If you were so inclined, SDCs would be a different way to limit the number of food trucks without putting a cap on it.  If you wanted to incentivize bringing food trucks to the community, not charging SDCs would be a good way to do that.

Other things to watch out for:  Water connections need to be commercial grade - a garden hose isn't good enough.  Some food truck operators aren't very discriminating about where they dump their grey water or grease.  We've had problems with folks dumping tubs into storm drains or running their drain lines onto neighboring (city park) properties.  For that matter, we had a property owner put in a couple illegal sewer connections for his food trucks.  Think about how you want them to handle their grey water - and grease.  How do you want them to get electricity?  Lots have generators but that's not great for a downtown environment.  Also, make sure to require a site plan and take a hard look at it.  Food trucks tend to pop up in random places and you need to think through how pedestrians will get to the truck, where the line will form, where people will hang out/wait/eat, etc. and make sure there is no conflict with driveways and parking areas - or neighboring businesses.

This is our first attempt to craft a code specifically for food trucks, so we'll see how it goes. Personally, I think food trucks add a lot to the character of a downtown and a community.  I understand why brick and mortar folks don't like them, but they're a great placemaking tool and it's something people are looking for now.

Shawn Irvine

Assistant City Manager

Office 503.837.1191 | Fax 503.606.3282

sirvine at ci.independence.or.us

www.experienceindyoregon.com

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________________________________
From: OMS_MANAGERS <oms_managers-bounces at omls.oregon.gov> on behalf of Shannon Suhr <shannonbsuhr at gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2025 8:46 AM
To: Oregon Main Street Network Members <oms_managers at omls.oregon.gov>
Subject: Re: [OMS_MANAGERS] Food Cart Pod Questions

Hi Krystal,

We addressed this with our city council a couple years ago. Our brick and mortar restaurants were very against it and just about all of the owners attended a council meeting when it was discussed to voice their concerns. That might have been a first! We are a small community, and most restaurants are closed Mon-Wed so the council voted on adopting an ordinance allowing food trucks to come in on those days only. If I remember correctly, the city had to determine what type of business licensing was needed, but beyond that, left the oversight of the trucks to the county and state regulators.

Shannon Suhr
Canyonville Main Street Association
Vice President

On Tue, Oct 21, 2025 at 3:21 PM Kristine Hayes <rbcckristine at gmail.com<mailto:rbcckristine at gmail.com>> wrote:

1. For the food cart pods, investigate the concept and zoning with the local planner and rally for support of the concept. Next, the local health authority in your jurisdiction and that entity's ability to sync with State requirements. These two roles, being supportive and/or experienced, can really make or break a project.  Just as permitting can make or break a cart's ability to begin strongly or limp along.
2. Where we are, our towns of Rockaway & Garibaldi had a bit of resistance at first, but it seems to be fine now. No resistance in Wheeler. The fees being charged for Carts here are hefty. $800 to $1,200 a month on average, with tight leases to move.
3. I wish I had studied the OMS schedule better myself before attending. I loved the conference, though. Albany is a real treasure!
Blessings,
Kristine Hayes
Rockaway Beach Chamber of Commerce & Community Education
RBCCKristine at gmail.com<mailto:RBCCKristine at gmail.com>
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On Oct 21, 2025, at 1:13 PM, Krystal Grace Stevens <StevensK at ci.willamina.or.us<mailto:StevensK at ci.willamina.or.us>> wrote:

Hi Fellow Oregon Main Streeters,

We really enjoyed the OMS conference in Albany a couple of weeks ago. It was great to see so many of you and connect in person! I have a question about food carts and food cart pods if any of you have some feedback you could share. We have local interest in starting one up, and we don’t have any processes in place.

  1.  Do you have any constructive feedback to share from your experience allowing food carts, either individually or as pods in your downtown core?
  2.  Any comments related to concerns about competition with existing brick-and-mortar restaurants?
  3.  Anything you wish you had done differently or wish you would have known before starting them?

Thank you so much! Have a great rest of your week!

Krystal Stevens
Deputy City Recorder & Municipal Court Clerk
City of Willamina
503-876-2242
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This e-mail is a public record of the City of Willamina and is subject to public disclosure unless exempt from disclosure under Oregon Public Records Law. This email is subject to the State Retention Schedule.

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