Molalla adopts streamlined mobile food ordinance to make pop-ups easier (Ord. 2026-01)

The Molalla City Council on Feb. 11 adopted Ordinance 2026-01, rewriting Chapter 17 of the Molalla Municipal Code to simplify permitting and reduce financial barriers for mobile food units.

City planning staff presented a redrafted code that separates accessory mobile food units (short-term or supporting a primary business) from primary mobile food uses (a lot used as a permanent mobile-food site or a pod of three or more units). The new code streamlines accessory unit approval as a Type 1 application with a simple site plan, waives system development charges (SDCs) and right-of-way dedications for accessory units, and requires an annual administrative fee set by council resolution.

"The idea behind the accessory unit is that folks can come in, fill out a Type 1 application just like a tree removal permit, draw a simple site plan, and get approval to go in and operate," the staff presenter said. The staff presentation emphasized avoiding redundant rules already enforced by Clackamas County Health and the fire district while preserving the city’s ability to enforce local standards for screening, stormwater and safe operation.

During public comment, Denise Scribe, owner of the Feed Shack, said she supports the rewrite and asked about lot-size thresholds and fees. "Eliminating all of the barriers that were there before" was her view of the draft, though she asked staff to confirm the accessory/permanence thresholds in the industrial zone.

Council held the first reading by title and, after a unanimous roll call, moved immediately to second reading and adoption by title only. The ordinance passed on a unanimous 7-0 vote. Staff noted the ordinance becomes effective 30 days after adoption and that applications submitted before the effective date may be reviewed under the new standards, although formal approvals will be issued after the ordinance takes effect.

The rewritten code aims to make temporary and accessory mobile food activity easier to launch (including on gravel or ADA-compliant surfaces) while preserving the city’s ability to require standard safety and health approvals (Clackamas County health permit and fire-district signoff) and to set an annual administrative fee for ongoing inspections and compliance.

The council directed staff to return to council with proposed fee amounts and any administrative procedures necessary to combine business-license processing and the new accessory mobile-food fee so applicants are not charged twice.