Chip Wagon debate diverts to talk of pressures in food industry

Jun 28, 2017

At a public open house to discuss a proposed bylaw to regulate mobile food businesses in Central Frontenac, many issues relating to the business climate for restaurants in the vicinity of Sharbot Lake were aired.

Joe Gallivan, Manager of Planning for Frontenac County, came to the meeting looking for public input after he had looked at similar bylaws in other locations and tried to find “best options” for Central Frontenac.

Last September, Councillor Cindy Kelsey expressed concern about an unlicensed chip truck that had opened up on Highway 7 near Road 509, and then Chief Building Official Jeremy Neven reported to Council that although mobile food businesses were defined in the township zoning bylaw, there were no regulations in the bylaw about whether they are permitted or not and under what circumstances. This put several existing businesses in the township in legal limbo, and in February Neven brought forward a draft bylaw, which was presented to Council but not acted upon. Since then a new Chief Building Official, Shawn Merriman, has taken over, and Joe Gallivan has been working on developing a bylaw.

At the same time a business has come forward asking to be able to set up at Hwy. 7 and 38. The Spud Box is planning to relocate from Hwy. 7 and Hwy. 41 at Kaladar. Two weeks ago, at Council’s request, CBO Merriman presented a temporary use bylaw which would enable the Spud Box to apply for a permit to open this summer while Joe Gallivan and the county planning department works on a permanent bylaw, which will not likely be in place until the fall.

The meeting was set up to ask questions about the permanent bylaw, such as how to define mobile food businesses, which zones they should be restricted to, and whether there should be a separation distance between them and restaurants. But the pending opening of the Spud Box came up repeatedly in the questions that were asked by a crowd that was made up of most of the restaurant and other food vendors in the Sharbot Lake vicinity.

CBO Shawn Merriman repeated a point that he had earlier in the month in front of Council. “I think that in a commercial zone, like we have on Highway 7, it is not up to the township to restrict the kinds of businesses that come forward. Let the market take care of that.”

Frank White from the Sharbot Lake Country Inn said “this is something I completely understand and would definitely not contest or dispute if we were on the same playing field.   However, allowing a business to set up that would be in direct competition with other year round venues with low, low overhead and at far reduced cost with a fraction of the of the licensing fee for operations i.e.  $350 per year vs $9,000 plus in property taxes is not what I feel should be the long term direction of economic development, especially given that the local populous would not be sufficient to support all of the business in the area.”

The owner of the Spud Box, Jerry, piped in at that point.

“We do have other expenses, including rent, but I know what you are saying because I owned restaurants in the past. The restaurant business is finished. I’m sorry but it’s true. We will pay  a fair license fee. It does not have to be $350.”

Jonathan Desroche, who owns Gray’s Grocery and Bake Shop, which is kitty corner to where the Spud Box would be located if approved, said “I don’t have any issues with him setting up. If he brings more business to the corner, that’s fine with me. But we need to face up to the reality that all of our businesses are hurting because tourism has died off completely in this area. If we don’t turn that around, none of us will be around. I’ve noticed a dramatic drop since I opened in 2010, tourism is off and our sales are off as well,” he said.

As the meeting continued, other issues about the business community were raised.  

CBO Merriman and Mayor Frances Smith both referred to the pending approval for a new Ultramar gas station with a convenience store and restaurant component at the site immediately to the west of the LCBO store, on the site where The Junction and Bubba’s takeout were located.

Joe Gallivan said he has been working for two years, from the planning end, with the owners of that proposed business, which is waiting for approval from the Ministry of Transportation before starting site development.

Input on the technical issues around the new bylaw was gathered at the meeting. Most in attendance agreed that mobile food businesses should be restricted to commercial areas, but the issues around setbacks from restaurants are more complex and the response was mixed.

A draft bylaw should be coming before Council before the end of the summer.