Corvallis Food Pod Future

If food trucks are so popular all across the U.S., why doesn’t Corvallis have more of them?

Portland ranks as the number-one “food truck friendliest” in the USA, featuring over 500 trucks and carts offering a wide variety of cuisines. Salem has 46, including the 18 at a popular spot known as The Yard. Next door in Albany, a city with lower population than Corvallis, there are 21 food carts around town – 11 of them at The Barn.

Corvallis, on the other hand, has nine or 10 – not including random ones hired by Oregon State University’s food service for college events. Common Fields has four, with three new ones scheduled to arrive early May, which is the closest to a pod in town. Two trucks, Miguels and Tacos el Machin – which offer Mexican cuisine – have recently had Terra’s Tastee Treats joining them on Southwest 4th Street. Young Country Kitchen is on 53rd. Gnome Nuts Donuts shows up at the Melon Shack. Plus, the latest entry – if it qualifies because it sells beverages next to a cafe – is the Beer Place at Ants on a Log Cafe.

The good part of all of this? Corvallis will have more – but it’s going to take time and effort.

Corvallis Food Carts Code

According to Kate Porsche, Corvallis’ Economic Development Manager, “Corvallis’ current code allows for food trucks in the Riverfront and Central Business Zones, which is primarily downtown. While this could change in the future, it would require an update to our development code.”  

Other restrictions include a 45-day limit unless established as a permanent Mobile Food Unit (MFU), plus the restriction that it not be on the streets, public property such as parks, or within residential zones, though placement on private property is allowable with the owner’s written permission. MFUs must also make sure there is access to restrooms.

Porsche added, “We’ve had some very early discussions internally about the possibility of exploring an expansion of where food trucks are allowed” with an emphasis on these being very early days.

It Took Three Years of Meetings to Change

Corvallis’ code started changing over ten years ago largely due to the efforts of Michele Colomb. Colomb, a life-long resident, owned a food cart with her husband called Creperie du Lys where they vended at farmer’s markets, Two Towns Cider, and local events. Customers loved their crepes, and she wanted to operate her food truck year-round.

Colomb said, “Licensing back then didn’t exist – there was no food cart ordinance. The land development code citywide limited us to only selling for 45 days.”

Colomb, now a restaurant consultant and advocate, said that back then she approached the City about how to change the codes. They said she should get support at the grass roots level by starting at local committee meetings, and eventually move to City Council meetings.

“I regret not presenting the ideas for new rules,” Colomb said. “Instead I went in with the attitude that the current regulations aren’t good. It took three years of meetings to change the codes.”

The long process to get the city to accept year-round MFUs did frustrate Colomb and other food truck owners. Brick and mortar restaurants feared the competition, and several did their best to block her efforts. There was a point where Colomb moved her truck out of Corvallis and located it in Portland, where the codes encouraged the market.

The Changing Environment

Colomb is encouraged by the increasing number of voices expressing their desire for more areas where food trucks can be parked long-term.

Simon Date, President and CEO of the Corvallis Chamber of Commerce, sees food truck pods as a way to make Corvallis a destination city. He was inspired after visiting The Barn in Albany and The Yard in Salem.

Rebecka Weinsteiger, a community organizer who has been working since 2010 to create more food options in South Corvallis, dreams of a food hub that includes food trucks. “Wouldn’t an ice cream truck located at Crystal Lake Park be ideal?” she said.

Another area that has potential is the land where the former Auction Yard and New Holland Tractors used to be on Highway 99. Weinsteiger mentioned that the company she works for has been partnering with Tom Gerding, owner of Gerding Construction and head of the investment group McCoy Creek Properties to explore potential designs for the site.

Hyatt Lyttle, Ward 3 City Councilor Council President, sees the opportunities of food trucks as entry points for community members wanting to get into the restaurant business with the lower investments needed and ability to test menu options. She believes food trucks could help her community grow.

Jacob Oliver, owner of Kalamata Bistro and Common Fields, came onto the scene as Colomb was getting codes changed.

Oliver is a case study of how the food truck business can be a success story. He started with a pop-up at the farmer’s market. Built a food truck that vended at local fairs and bars. Then, with the new regulations, was able to create Common Fields.

The Future

Oliver’s success may give the City Council the confidence to expand code for more food truck pods. Brick and mortar restaurants, seeing how others nationwide use food trucks to their benefit, may start wanting to have their own “brand extensions.” City residents desire a wider variety of cuisines, and many have started to become more vocal about this. Colomb feels that with so many different factions coming together, it may not take another three years to change code so food trucks may operate in more places than just select downtown zones.

Want to help make Corvallis a food truck pod destination? Reach out to your local council members and let them know you support this concept and to make it a higher priority.

By Stacey Newman Weldon