Bowie centralizes food trucks with new permit and $300 annual fee

The Bowie City Council voted to repeal the existing mobile‑food vendor ordinance and adopt a new code framework establishing a centralized Bowie Food Court at the community‑center green building area. Under the new rules (Ordinance 2025‑O4), vendors will pay a single annual flat permit fee (consolidated from prior permit and application fees) and will receive access to city‑provided water, electricity and restroom facilities when operating at the designated food‑court location. The council voted to adopt the repeal and the new fee ordinance.

David (staff) told the council the change was developed after outreach to vendors; he said vendors supported a single location where the public will reliably find food trucks and vendors appreciated access to water and electricity. Under the new arrangement, vendors will not be allowed to use onboard generators once connected to the site electrical service, and the city will provide picnic tables, chairs and trash receptacles for events. The permit fee was set to $300 annually and will include utilities at the food‑court site; staff said vendors characterized that fee as affordable and that a number of vendors indicated they favored the change.

The ordinance carves out exemptions for festivals and other sponsored events (including the city’s Second Monday gathering) and retains a 72‑hour limit on unattended parking of vendor trailers to prevent the site from becoming a storage lot. Councilmembers asked about flexibility for businesses wanting a vendor in a private lot; staff said exceptions would be considered only for organized events or if council elected to provide exemptions in the future.

What’s next: Staff will publish the new rules and update the permitting process; vendors whose permits were expiring will be moved to the new flat fee schedule when they reapply.