A Yarmouth resident who runs a coffee and food truck on private property in town will be able to operate his business 12 months a year if a proposal from the Town of Yarmouth’s planning advisory committee is approved and becomes law.
Clark Sigfridson is in his third year of operating his business on the Canadian Tire property on Starrs Road and, according to current town legislation, he can only operate nine months of the year.
Hoping to be able to do business the entire year, Sigfridson approached the town about getting the bylaw changed.
On May 15, his application was the focus of a public participation meeting held by the town’s PAC, where committee members were unanimous in supporting changing the rules to allow Sigfridson – and other food truck businesses on private property – to operate for the whole year.
“I think it’s a fantastic outcome,” Sigfridson said after the planning advisory committee session.
“Any business, not just the coffee business ... you want to operate every month of the year,” he said.
There wasn’t much of a turnout at the town hall for the Tuesday night meeting where the issue was discussed. The few who were there apparently had turned out to support Sigfridson.
Mayor Pam Mood, who sits on the PAC, said there is a process that must be followed before the bylaw change can be made.
“I can’t speak for council,” the mayor said, “but we’re pretty excited about our ability to do this and move forward with it.”
Speaking generally, Mood said the town welcomes input from those who may have an issue with bylaws and the like.
Referring to Sigfridson’s application as an example, she said, “There was quite a bit of support there (at the PAC meeting) ... It’s important that we’re open when people come, that they have the ability to come and say ‘what about this?’ and make suggestions. That’s what the planning advisory (committee) is there for.”
At its May 17 meeting, Yarmouth town council passed a motion that the proposed food truck bylaw change be the subject of a public hearing, which is part of the process the mayor was talking about.
