City of Decorah developing regulations for mobile food carts and other street vendors

The City of Decorah is developing a policy covering street vendors and those who use public spaces to sell food or other items.

The policy is meant to provide consistent policies, standards, and procedures for the licensing and administration of vendors wishing to operate on public land and spaces, including parking lots, parks, green spaces, street right-of-way and yards owned or operated by the City.

The issue has surfaced in the past.  One concern was that mobile food carts would take away business from restaurants that own a building and pay property taxes.  The new policy bans food carts from within 50 feet of food establishments in buildings without prior, written consent of the restaurant owner.

The policy will also update the charges levied for a mobile food cart or other street vendor--to a $25 start-up fee and a $4/day operational fee.

UPDATE: City council members have approved the policy in concept, but City Manager Chad Bird says he is going to recommend amendments to the "peddler's" ordinance (section 5.04.280 of city code) to be sure the administrative policy and the city code are congruent.