City Council Approves Ordinance Increasing Tools to Prohibit Unlicensed Mobile Vendors

Following public testimony, the Hermiston City Council unanimously approved an ordinance defining unlicensed mobile vendors as a nuisance under the city code, which will allow stronger action by code enforcement.

The city’s mobile food vendor ordinance is intended to provide clear and consistent standards for mobile vendors operating within city limits, including food trucks and other mobile businesses. The proposal outlines requirements related to permitting, approved locations, hours of operation, and compliance with health and safety standards. The goal is to create a balanced framework that allows entrepreneurs to operate successfully while maintaining safe streets, adequate parking, and fair competition among businesses.

The ordinance approved on Monday was created following requests from the local business community, review of existing regulations, and evaluation of how other communities manage mobile vending. It will allow more direct action by code enforcement officers to educate violators about existing rules and assess fines for repeat offenses.

During the work session before the council meeting, members of the public supported the concept of keeping a fair process in place for licensed vendors and asked the city to open more Type 2 mobile vendor licenses, which are permitted to operate year-round at a single location. Other mobile vendor license types are available with information available at www.hermiston.gov/mobilevendor.

The full meeting agenda and related materials, as well as a live stream of the council meeting, can be viewed at www.hermiston.gov