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Could Owen Sound outlaw the construction of new drive-thrus?
It’s a question city council will have a discussion about.
Council passed a motion from Deputy Mayor Scott Greig at Monday’s meeting to ask staff for a report to “evaluate an interim control bylaw prohibiting the development of any further drive-thrus.”
According to an Ontario government document, an interim control bylaw puts a temporary freeze on some land uses while a municipality is studying or reviewing its policies.
Nothing’s been passed by council yet. But staff have been directed to come back with a report about what a bylaw to restrict additional drive-thrus in the city could look like; then council will discuss and potentially consider it.
“It’s not a ban on drive-thrus that I’m advocating for,” Greig explains. “There would be grandfathering for existing drive-thrus.”
Coun. Jon Farmer spoke in favour of the request for a report from staff.
“I would like to also see such a report include information about efficiency of land use, and how that ties into our ability to collect the most possible property tax from developments,” Farmer says.
Bayshore Broadcasting News reached out to Owen Sound’s city manager to ask when this staff report could be completed and brought to council for discussion, but didn’t receive a response by publication time.