At issue is the residential zoning of the Dalton Avenue property.
The Tignish Planning Board had already decided it was uncomfortable with spot zoning of the property before Carole Chiasson appeared before Council Tuesday night to plead for an exemption.
Chiasson told Council she has 30 years experience as a cook, including cooking for military personnel. She said she and her business partners want to provide a food service business primarily by take out and meals-on-wheels type of delivery.
They don’t intend to make structural changes to the house as Chiasson would want to retain the option of selling the property as a residence if the venture does not work out. No one would be living in the house while it serves as a business.
Chiasson proposes lunch and dinner specials Monday to Saturday. She said they plan to start small and gradually grow the business, and are hoping to utilize volunteers to deliver meals starting out.
Councillor Angel Murphy, who sits on the planning board, advised that Planning Board would like to see businesses in one area.
Council chair Allan McInnis told Chiasson he likes the proposal and would like to see it proceed, but advised her the property would have to be rezoned, and that requires a public meeting.
“My biggest concern is traffic,” said Councillor Ed Gallant, who noted Dalton Avenue is heavily travelled.
Chiasson said she has a triple-wide wrap-around driveway and customers can enter one way and go out the other.
The community decided to schedule and advertise a public meeting on the request and bill Chiasson for the cost of the process.
