Denialism | Tim Hortons

Proposed drive-thru ban irks Timmy’s owner

By Elaine Mitropoulos, Comox Valley EchoMay 5, 2009

John Brocklehurst says he would think twice about opening another business in the Town of Comox should its council outlaw future drive-thrus.

“Even though it may not impact us at the moment, it could if we ever decide to go and open another store,” said the owner of three Valley Tim Hortons.

“I’m convinced this will get turned over at some point but would it impact my decision-making if they outlawed them? Yeah, of course it would.”

Brocklehurst admitted he had a vested interest in drive-thrus, saying 55 per cent of his customers accessed them.

“A lot of people use them for whatever reason, whether it’s for their own convenience or because they have to,” he said.

And while he understood the council wanted to be at the forefront of environmental change, he said he couldn’t understand why it was targeting drive-thrus as a source of pollution among “more obvious” culprits.

“I guess I’m not sure the purpose of it quite frankly,” Brocklehurst said.

“All the information we gathered up says that banning drive-thrus to prevent idling would have no real significant impact.”

Brocklehurst said he had yet to hear feedback from customers, but he was expecting them to come forward as the debate continued.

“I know most people tend not to speak – the silent majority,” he said. “But if they’re being impacted to that extent I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of feedback.”

Comox Mayor Paul Ives said realistically about four to six parcels around Guthrie Road could make way for future drive-thrus, but he didn’t want to deter new or old business from making the town its home.

“Everyone acknowledges that the current situation with the Tim Hortons is not ideal,” he said of the Anderton Road drive-thru that has seen cars line up onto the street.

“I think if they were wanting to move out of there because of the congestion that’s caused there hopefully they could move to another site in Comox.”

Even so, Ives has been pushing for the council to consider a more comprehensive approach to curbing idling in Comox, like a bylaw aimed at education and awareness.

“Other communities have had some success in passing those bylaws,” he said.

He too hoped the public would weigh in on the issue that has split the council.

If the council moves ahead with a rezoning bylaw, he said the issue would go to a public hearing.

“I would like to hear what people would have to say in the meantime,” he added.

emitropoulos@comoxvalleyecho.com

http://www.canada.com/Proposed+drive+thru+irks+Timmy+owner/1566353/story.html

N. Idaho city looking at banning drive-throughs

Last updated April 12, 2009 11:30 a.m. PT

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SANDPOINT, Idaho — Residents in this northern Idaho city might have to start waving bye bye to drive-through businesses.

A proposal to prohibit drive-through services recently passed the city’s planning and zoning commission and goes before the city council in May.

If approved the ordinance would regulate drive-through restaurants, banks, coffee shops, pharmacies, dry cleaners and other businesses that cater to customers in cars.

Existing drive-through businesses would be allowed to continue but not rebuild.

“Conceivably, as these existing drive-throughs degrade if they’re not maintained, this could lead to a Sandpoint of the future with no drive-throughs,” City Planner Jeremy Grimm told the Bonner County Daily Bee.

The proposed change is one of many being considered as part of a strategy to handle new growth and reflect the city’s recently completed comprehensive plan aimed at making a more attractive city.

Opponents say the drive-through ban will hurt the economy, and Dick Hutter resigned from the planning commission last week amid concerns the changes will harm the city.

“I don’t agree with the direction that Sandpoint is going,” he said. “I don’t like the lack of parking downtown. I don’t like the interference with stores and I don’t like the anti-corporate nature of what’s been happening.”

Other possible changes include a conditional use permit for new or expanding businesses with a building footprint larger than 20,000 square feet. The businesses would be required to submit to nine new planning standards, including surface parking requirements and pedestrian circulation.

New rules also look at banning the use of fluorescent or metallic colors as part of the plan to have “exterior building materials and colors that are aesthetically pleasing.”

“We’re not preventing them from developing their property or building or investing in this community,” said Grimm. “We’re just setting some constraints on it and I think this is very far from depriving someone of the reasonable use of their property.”

Councilman John Reuter introduced the ban on drive-throughs. But he said proposed changes might not make it into the permanent zoning changes, which the council hopes to have finished within a year.

“I think it makes sense for a temporary, stopgap zone to be fairly restrictive,” Reuter said. “I think we need to have a serious conversation about where drive-throughs are appropriate and where they are not. At the end of that discussion maybe we’ll decide that drive-throughs are never appropriate, but I don’t think we’re at that stage yet.”

Local real-estate agent Kitty Eyestone doesn’t like the proposed changes.

“Business owners are shaking their heads and asking, ‘What’s next?” she said.

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_id_no_drive_throughs.html

Drive-thrus not ‘viable’ for strong communities, says alderman

Last Updated: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 | 10:54 AM MT Comments3Recommend1

CBC News

A recent move by Calgary city council to omit drive-thrus from one redevelopment plan should happen more often, says one alderman.

Last week, city council left out drive-thrus when it approved a new area structure plan — which dictates what kinds of businesses, retail and housing are allowed — for the 10 blocks around the Chinook LRT station.

The area in south Calgary already includes drive-thrus for banks and fast-food restaurants, but the plan means no new ones are allowed. It’s part of the city’s policy to increase density around transit stations and promote those areas as pedestrian-friendly.

Ald. Brian Pincott says he’d like to see the same policy applied to the rest of the city.

“The more that we build community — and drive-thrus are part of this — that keeps people separated, segregated from each other, the less viable our community is,” he said Tuesday.

The Ward 11 councillor says a bylaw banning drive-thrus is not in the works, but he’d like to see them eventually disappear, “to make sure we’re actually building community again and getting people out of their cars, forcing people to interact with each other.”

But the Canadian Federation of Independent Business says the city shouldn’t interfere in the way people want to do their business.

“To just make some blanket statement that for some reason drive-thrus are inherently unviable, that’s really not a government decision,” said Danielle Smith, the group’s Alberta director.

The drive-thru window is a big part of business at CB Drive Inn in northwest Calgary. Owner Young Lee says a drive-thru ban wouldn’t kill his burger outlet, but some of his customers hate the idea.

“I’d have to do it the old way. And I enjoy doing the drive-thru,” said Michele Walgenbach. “It’s a lot quicker. I enjoy it. It’s convenient.”

Other Canadian municipalities have considered banning drive-thrus for environmental reasons.

Calgary drops drive throughs from one redevelopment plan – Drive-thrus not ‘viable’ for strong communities, says alderman

Last Updated: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 | 10:54 AM MT

CBC News

A recent move by Calgary city council to omit drive-thrus from one redevelopment plan should happen more often, says one alderman.

Last week, city council left out drive-thrus when it approved a new area structure plan — which dictates what kinds of businesses, retail and housing are allowed — for the 10 blocks around the Chinook LRT station.

The area in south Calgary already includes drive-thrus for banks and fast-food restaurants, but the plan means no new ones are allowed. It’s part of the city’s policy to increase density around transit stations and promote those areas as pedestrian-friendly.

Ald. Brian Pincott says he’d like to see the same policy applied to the rest of the city.

“The more that we build community — and drive-thrus are part of this — that keeps people separated, segregated from each other, the less viable our community is,” he said Tuesday.

The Ward 11 councillor says a bylaw banning drive-thrus is not in the works, but he’d like to see them eventually disappear, “to make sure we’re actually building community again and getting people out of their cars, forcing people to interact with each other.”

But the Canadian Federation of Independent Business says the city shouldn’t interfere in the way people want to do their business.

“To just make some blanket statement that for some reason drive-thrus are inherently unviable, that’s really not a government decision,” said Danielle Smith, the group’s Alberta director.

The drive-thru window is a big part of business at CB Drive Inn in northwest Calgary. Owner Young Lee says a drive-thru ban wouldn’t kill his burger outlet, but some of his customers hate the idea.

“I’d have to do it the old way. And I enjoy doing the drive-thru,” said Michele Walgenbach. “It’s a lot quicker. I enjoy it. It’s convenient.”

Other Canadian municipalities have considered banning drive-thrus for environmental reasons.