Mover: Councillor Olson
Seconder: Councillor Hildebrandt
WHEREAS the Town of Pelham supports local businesses and the local economy which contribute to community development and growth;
AND WHEREAS emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting business resilience and growth is critical for Ontario’s economic recovery;
AND WHEREAS businesses are still facing challenges in repaying funding received from repayable government support programs and navigating business operation in the absence of support programs;
AND WHEREAS the special exemption provided by Council on June 15, 2020, to waive a maximum of six (6) parking space requirements for restaurants to operate pop-up parking lot patios was initially to provide relief to those businesses facing occupancy restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020;
AND WHEREAS the permission of temporary pop-up restaurant patios situated in parking lots does not comply with the Town Zoning By-law;
AND WHEREAS Council provided two extensions to the special exemptions to permit temporary pop-up restaurant patios in parking lots in 2021 and 2022;
AND WHEREAS Council deems the economic recovery of restaurants and mobile food services to be still impacted by poor economic conditions;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council for the Town of Pelham permit the temporary waiving of a maximum of six (6) parking spaces for restaurants to allow ‘pop-up’ parking lot patios for the remainder of 2023;
AND THAT food trucks/refreshment vehicles be and are hereby permitted to operate within the Specialty Agricultural and Agricultural Zones for the remainder of 2023, pending the acquisition of an Itinerant Sellers Licence.