By Chad Ingram

Minden Hills council has given instructions to bylaw staff to revise a township bylaw regulating food trucks.

In April councillors had a visit from Terri Mathews owner of BoshkungBrewing Co. Carnarvon’s Rhubarb restaurant and Minden’s BoshkungSocial who requested they change a 17-year-old bylaw dictating that any business owner wishing to locate a food truck on their property obtainpermission from any owner of another food establishment within 1000feet. During the April meeting Mathews called the bylaw “out of whack” and Mayor Brent Devolin said he was unsure what the rationale had beenbehind the creation of the bylaw by the council of the day.

“It isbelieved that the rationale for the 1000-foot requirement is that if an existing restaurant was already established and a refreshment vehiclewas set up in close proximity the refreshment vehicle may have anadvantage with regard to setup and overhead costs property taxesetc.” read a staff report from chief building official Colin McKnightwhich council received during a May 9 meeting.

During that meetingcouncil instructed McKnight to reduce that 1000-foot setback to 100feet and the revised bylaw is set to be passed by council during ameeting at the end of the month.