WARREN, Ark. – On Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, the Warren City Council began the formal process of amending Ordinance 970, the city’s food truck regulations, after the measure drew pushback from residents in the months following its April passage.
As previously reported in April, Ordinance 970 was first acted on after discussion by the Community and Economic Development Committee. The council approved the measure 6-0 at that April meeting. As passed, the ordinance required mobile food vendors to:
- Obtain a city privilege license.
- Pay a $250 quarterly permit fee.
- Operate only on approved, properly zoned property.
- Submit proof of sales tax payment before each renewal.
- Restrict signage to the truck itself, with no stand-alone signs.
- Comply with hours of operation that prohibited vendors from remaining open past a set time at night.
At that time, a council member explained the goal of the ordinance was to create fairness between all food vendors, including brick-and-mortar restaurants, and to help the city recover garbage collection costs it had been covering for mobile vendors at no charge.
Public pushback in May
At the May 2025 council meeting, a number of residents voiced opposition to the ordinance. Two food truck owners and several customers of mobile vendors spoke during the meeting, most expressing concern about the cost — which could reach $1,000 annually under the quarterly fee requirement.
Council member Chanel Hooper made a motion to send the ordinance back to the Community and Economic Development Committee for further review. The motion passed 5-0. Mayor Gregg Reep announced at the time that he would delay enforcement until the committee could present its recommendations to the council. Although the ordinance was not brought forward again until the August meeting, city administration never began enforcement during the interim due to the possibility of changes.
Proposed changes from the committee
On Monday night, the issue returned to the council agenda after the committee met and forwarded a list of amendment recommendations. These changes include:
- Broader scope: Expanding the ordinance to cover all outdoor vendors, not just food trucks, with exemptions for farm and homemade product sellers.
- Revised fees: Eliminating the $250 quarterly permit fee and replacing it with a $55 per month fee for the months vendors operate, plus a $30 annual privilege license fee. The $55 monthly fee is similar to the garbage fee that all other brick-and-mortar commercial businesses in Warren already pay, and it covers garbage pickup for vendors. Vendors who are already paying for garbage service through their water and sewer bill would be exempt from the monthly permit fee, since their garbage pickup costs are already covered.
- Hours of operation: Removing restrictions, allowing mobile vendors to set their own operating hours.
- Exemptions: Churches and nonprofits would be exempt from the permit fee.
- Registration and compliance checks: All mobile vendors would be required to register so the city can verify zoning compliance, confirm sales tax payment, and ensure health department approval for operation.
The proposed amendments will be reviewed by the city attorney before returning to the council for a final vote.
