For the first 50 years of Vancouver’s official existence, its residential neighbourhoods were flush with houses that had businesses attached to their original facades. Opportunities abounded for cobblers, bakers, confectioners and auto whisperers to reach the commercial streams that were once our sidewalks. It took a while for the NIMBYs of yore to do their typical, terrible thing, but their double dose ‘property value’ and ‘public safety’ fetishes eventually swayed the weak-assed powers that were and such businesses were eventually forbidden as dangers to the communities they served. This morning, the always Vancouver-curious Youtube channel About Here dug deep on the excellent question: Why did we make front yard businesses illegal?
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This was really interesting!
I notice a mention elsewhere on this same page about local food trucks.
I have always had a problem with them. Why would a city allow a mobile kitchen containing fire, electricity and — yes — compressed gas to park on a downtown street; yet doesn’t allow somebody living in Kerrisdale to start a taco stand on their front lawn? What’s the diff?