Story County bans vendors in right-of-way and along a quarry stretch of RAGBR route; staff to design permit process

The Story County Board of Supervisors on May 5 approved a modified Resolution 26‑85 to prohibit vendor permits in the county right‑of‑way and to ban vendors on private property along the RAGBR bicycle route between U.S. Highway 69 and Interstate 35.

Planning and Development Director Leanne Harter told the board staff drafted the resolution after conversations with the sheriff's office, emergency management, and the county engineer and after reviewing prior county restrictions from 2018 and 2023. Harter read an email from the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing (DIAL) saying the county must tell the state whether it will allow food/beverage vendors in unincorporated areas; if the county allows more than 10 temporary food vendors it must file an event registration by June 1 and pay a $50 fee.

Chief Deputy Nick Lenny of the Story County Sheriff's Office urged the board to prevent vendor setups in the roadway, saying vendors in the right‑of‑way would "bottleneck" riders and increase the risk of vehicle‑versus‑bicycle crashes. "When you have vendors setting up within the rightway of the route, our concern is bottlenecking of the bikes with oncoming traffic," Lenny said. He said law enforcement resources will be stretched across many miles and called the Riverside Road area near the Martin Marietta quarry “resource‑intensive.”

Emergency Management Coordinator Melissa Spencer echoed that concern, adding the selected route includes rolling roads with limited visibility that could increase crash risk if vendors are too near the travel lane. Spencer said quarry traffic is substantial: "there's a thousand trucks a day roughly that come through that road," she said, identifying that segment as a particular safety hazard.

Darren Moon, Story County engineer, pointed to chapter 33 of the county code, which restricts activity in the road right‑of‑way, and recommended the board address the issue explicitly. Harter said staff had been in contact with other counties on the RAGBR route; responses vary (some disallow vendors in unincorporated areas; others allow limited vendors under special permits).

Dozens of public commenters gave two‑minute statements. Vendors and organizers said roadside stops are valuable to riders and local fundraisers. "We take great pride in making sure we do a good job at picking our spots that are safe," vendor Steve Lynn told the board. Scott Carlson, representing the Iowa Craft Beer Tent, said vendors bring rest, toilets and local economic exposure to visiting riders and said vendor operations typically work with local law enforcement and licensing.

Opponents and some rural residents urged strict limits at high‑risk locations. "That is not a good road to ride during different times of the day," said Marty Chitty, citing Riverside and North Dayton roads. Several speakers accused the county of "picking winners and losers" by limiting where vendors may operate; Josh Borsma said a broad ban would be "not equitable or fair to all taxpayers."

After discussion the board adopted the amended resolution banning vendor permits in the right‑of‑way in unincorporated Story County and banning vendor activity on private property along the RAGBR route between U.S. Highway 69 and Interstate 35. The motion passed by roll call, with affirmative votes recorded as Fasil, Edens and Mkin. The board directed staff to return next week with a vendor‑permit process, options for limiting vendor numbers, a notification plan for affected property owners, and clarification from DIAL about the June 1 event‑registration requirement.

The resolution does not immediately impose fines or describe a vendor‑selection algorithm; staff said those operational details will be part of the return report. The board emphasized its intent to keep vendors out of the travel lane while balancing safe rest stops for riders and local fundraising and business interests.

The board's action applies to unincorporated Story County and to the specified roadway segment; towns along the route retain authority to manage retail and permits within their jurisdictions. Staff indicated they will attempt to negotiate scheduling and state‑deadline flexibility and will present concrete permitting steps and potential limits when they come back to the supervisors.