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Council Resolves Patio Issue |
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The new Collingwood Council has moved quickly to resolve the patio issue that had become a heated debate and a key election issue last fall. Council approved repealing the patio/cafe and merchandise display areas from the Business Licensing Bylaw, to enact a bylaw to regulate patio and merchandise display encroachments on municipally owned property. In a unanimous vote, council revised the bylaw to now permit restaurant owners to choose as to where they wish to locate their downtown patios. As long as a two metre area is maintained on the Hurontario Street sidewalk to allow for pedestrian traffic, a patio may now be located at either curbside or adjacent to the building. Mayor Sandra Cooper was glad to see the patio issue be resolved prior to the busy spring and summer tourist season. "This is one that we have been looking forward to and I thank the town staff for their hard work." Mayor Cooper had said earlier that it was important to resolve the patio debate to allow council to move forward with other important business. "I believe council's unanimous decision will allow for a variety of businesses to flourish. Both patios and display of merchandise more than meet the provincial standards for accessibility along a walkway. I support the downtown as it is an economic stimulus to our community by attracting visitors. A large contingent of residents asked the patios be moved back against the buildings. The decision made by this council fulfills an election promise." Deputy Mayor Rick Lloyd agreed that staff did a great job in pulling together information necessary for council to move forward with the bylaw revision. In addition, downtown merchants will be allowed to display merchandise directly in front of their storefronts or curbside. Council can also direct the relocation of any new tree that was planted creating a barrier from an existing restaurant that previously held a patio permit, to enable those businesses to erect their patios under the new regulations. In February, 2011, Collingwood Council had asked for a staff report detailing the present status of the business licensing by-law. Both Mayor Sandra Cooper and Deputy Mayor Rick Lloyd made it clear during last fall's municipal election that they felt the patios needed to be situated adjacent to the buildings on Hurontario Street. New Councilor Dale West got right to the point of the patio issue as he closed his speech at the All Candidates Night at the Collingwood Legion. "Patios, it's quite simple. If you find that you've made a mistake, admit it, fix it, and move on. People respect that." On Monday, April 19th, 2010, Collingwood Council voted down a motion that would have deferred any change in the location of the restaurant patios until 2011, meaning patios would need to be situated curbside in downtown Collingwood. A vote on the motion had been delayed for a number of weeks until all members of Collingwood Council could be in attendance. At that time, Councillor Ian Chadwick had put forward a motion to defer the change in location until 2011 to allow for further discussion with the restaurant owners and town officials. Chadwick was concerned that the passing of the motion to move the patios to the curb would mean that many of the downtown patios would simply disappear. |
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| Downtown patios may once again situated adjacent to the buildings along Hurontario Street. |
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