A food truck near downtown Thornbury will be permitted to continue to operate, provided the business owner takes steps to bring the property’s zoning designation into compliance with town regulations.
At its committee of the whole meeting on July 2, council passed a pair of resolutions related to the food truck operating at the Black Angus Fine Meats and Game business near downtown Thornbury.
In May, Black Angus owner Sean Kelly asked council for help to allow him to continue to operate the popular food truck. In The Blue Mountains, food trucks are not permitted unless they are to be located at specific town-owned properties. After Kelly’s request, council requested a report from staff on the issue.
Staff delivered a two-pronged report that outlined steps the town could take to permit food trucks in general and also covered options available to Kelly to bring his property into compliance.
Sean Postma, manager of community planning, said that the current food truck at Black Angus is a zoning infraction and the bylaw enforcement department has taken action on the matter.
“(Food trucks) are not permitted anywhere in the municipality except on a number of specific town properties,” said Postma, who said Black Angus would need to undertake a zoning bylaw amendment for the property to add a food truck operation as a permitted use at its location.
On the wider issue of food trucks in general, Postma said the town had three options it could consider: the status quo of food trucks not being allowed, a town-wide zoning bylaw amendment the would bring in policies to regulate the operation of food trucks or look at the food truck issue as part of the town’s planned comprehensive zoning bylaw review to get underway in 2025.
Council passed a pair of resolutions on the matter. In a 6-0 vote, council supported looking at the food truck issue during the zoning bylaw review. Deputy Mayor Peter Bordignon was absent.
“If we’re going to do it, we might as well do it right. I think it’s a good play,” said coun. Shawn McKinlay.
Council then unanimously passed a second resolution that would allow Black Angus to continue to operate the food truck on the condition that a complete rezoning application to allow the food truck is made to the town in a timely manner.
“I would like to see the ability for Black Angus to still be able to keep functioning in order to make money to be able to pay for the zoning process,” said coun. Alex Maxwell.
