New Rules coming for Food Carts in TD; Council to consider Monday
Food carts on west Sixth Street. The Dalles City Council will consider new rules for food carts and transient vendors at its meeting on Monday, Sept. 8.
THE DALLES, Ore., Sept. 6, 2025 — A major rewrite of The Dalles’ rules for food carts and transient vendors is headed to City Council, a change that city officials say will bring consistency, reduce fines, and create new incentives for healthier options.
The meeting is set for Monday, Sept. 8, starting at 5:30 p.m. You can watch the meeting live via streaming by clicking here.
What’s in the proposal
The ordinance would replace two decades-old codes with a unified system for mobile vendors. The city defines vendors in two categories:
Tier 1: Full food service operators such as food carts, trucks, or trailers preparing meals on-site.
Tier 2: Temporary or limited vendors such as sidewalk stands, pop-ups, or seasonal booths.
Under the proposal:
A Tier 1 license would cost $165 for a new license, with annual renewals set at $100.
A Tier 2 license would cost $75 for a new license, with annual renewals set at $50.
Both tiers would now fall under the same application and enforcement framework for the first time, giving vendors a consistent set of rules regardless of size or seasonality.
Discounts and incentives
The overhaul broadens the city’s discount system. Farmers selling their own produce and nonprofits hosting fundraisers would qualify for full fee waivers. Vendors who promote healthy eating would see a break as well: under current rules, carts offering at least 15% healthy menu items qualify for a partial discount. The new ordinance makes that simpler and more generous — any vendor with at least two healthy menu choices gets 50% off their license fee.
Changes to enforcement
Perhaps the biggest shift is in penalties. Under the existing system, each item sold without a license counts as a separate violation. That means a vendor caught selling 20 tacos without the right paperwork could technically be fined for 20 violations. The proposed rules scrap that approach in favor of a flat penalty structure. Violations would now mirror the city’s noxious vegetation code, starting at $165 and escalating up to $2,000 for repeat offenders.
How operators are affected
For operators, the city intends fewer bureaucratic hurdles and less risk of catastrophic fines. Food carts gain clarity on rules and eligibility for discounts, while small-scale or seasonal vendors such as fruit stands or art booths are folded into the same system with simpler paperwork. Nonprofits and farmers stand to benefit the most, with expanded waivers designed to cut costs for community events and local agriculture.
Notices have already gone out to all active pods and license holders to ensure vendors have a chance to weigh in before council takes action.
Other council business
This gets wonky - but hang in there.
Councilors will also take up three resolutions clarifying official compensation policies for elected officials, volunteers, and employees. The move follows guidance from the Oregon Government Ethics Commission, which allows cities to explicitly include food, beverages, and incidental items in official compensation packages if formally approved. This vote will essentially clarify that they have taken a public vote to approve such things as providing bottled water or food to elected officials and or city staff or city committee members at meetings.
Due to the inherent conflicts of interest in council approving such measures — the vote will be separated into four different resolutions so that council can maintain a quorum while the affected officials who would see “personal gain” can abstain from voting.
Council will also review a proposed telecommunications franchise agreement with Blue Mountain Networks, granting the company non-exclusive rights to operate within city limits. Blue Mountain purchased internet provider GorgeNet in 2020.
