After hearing feedback about allowing mobile vendors in the Township, Clearview is still inching along toward creating a by-law to permit this.
At Council’s July 14 meeting, the Presidents of the Creemore Business Improvement Area (BIA) and the Stayner Chamber of Commerce each spoke about the proposed licencing by-law.
“We are not opposed to having vendor trucks in Clearview Township, but there are things that affect Creemore more specifically. We are opposed to the by-law as it is written,” said BIA President Corey Finkelstein, who referred to Creemore as a “fragile business ecosystem.”
In a report submitted to Council, Creemore’s business owners called for clarifications in the by-law to prevent potential problems for vendors and the community.
They also appealed for more research to be conducted about the effects of mobile vending on overall employment and economic growth.
Finally, the BIA requested it be made a commenting agency for licence requests.
Finkelstein suggested that any community within Clearview with an established business group could provide commentary.
Doug Measures, Councillor for Ward 1, disagreed. He said the BIA’s purpose is to organize events and create physical improvements in a community – not be commenting agency for by-laws.
“This is not how democracy works,” Measures said. “Council is the commenting agency.”
However, this idea was refuted by Ward 3 Councillor Brent Preston who said that providing feedback is exactly what the BIA is meant to do.
“The comments could help staff understand what the businesses’ concerns are,” said Preston. “Who better to know what’s selling and what’s competing than our BIA or Chamber?”
Thom Paterson, Councillor for Ward 5, agreed. “The BIA exists not to plant flowers on the street but to generate economic well-being for businesses. They are in the best position to comment.”
A little while later, Ward 7 Councillor Shawn Davidson proposed giving the BIA the ability to comment on – but not veto – applications.
“I don’t see it as a huge difference than if the Foodland decided to sell hot dogs at a deli counter, and everybody’s freaking out,” Davidson said. “Competition is good; it breeds excellence.”
Councillor Robert Walker, who represents Ward 5, said it was important to delineate differences in the clientele for restaurants compared to food trucks.
Paterson asked whether there was an economic reason for adopting the by-law. He called for more research to be conducted to support whether mobile vendors would help stimulate Creemore’s economy before the by-law is adopted – even if it takes a year.
Alternately, Deputy Mayor Alicia Savage proposed a trial period in which the by-law would be reviewed after one year.
“By-laws are great because they can be continued, revised, changed – or even withdrawn,” she said.
By contrast, feedback from the Stayner Chamber of Commerce was more lean.
“Overall, we don’t have a lot of concerns,” summarized John Squire, the Chamber’s President. Instead, his members had questions about the by-law. They also requested an amendment to allow the Township to limit the number of vendors.
After much discussion including various viewpoints and summer vacation schedules, it was moved that the Clerk’s office would revise the by-law based on the feedback it had received, with input from Paterson, Davidson and Measures.
The new by-law will be presented at Council’s next meeting on Monday, August 11.