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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, August 29, 2014 | 4 ada Day, for the next three years. "The street visibility is really key. We have Oakville Beaver Staff one week to sell our goods," said Rocket's vice-president of operations Michael CaldeThe Town of Oakville has taken legal action ron. "Having that intense drive-by traffic to block a Toronto-based fireworks compa- makes a significant difference in our businy from setting up a mobile retail location ness." in town after appealing a committee of adIn April, Oakville's Committee of Adjustment decision to the Ontario Municipal justment (COA) approved the variance by Board. a vote of 3-2 despite the fire departments' The family-owned Rocket Fireworks ap- prior notice of the Town's licensing bylaws plied for a minor variance that would have limiting where fireworks can be sold. allowed the retailer to set up a trailer in a The approval prompted the Town to apparking lot on Trafalgar Road to sell fire- peal the COA's decision to the OMB in orworks leading up to Victoria Day, and Can- der to enforce its bylaws and a hearing took place Aug. 20. "The Town's zoning bylaw reDo you know how your Expert Advice quires retail sales to be located garden within an enclosed building. The Quality grows? Town's licensing bylaw does not Tested Soils allow fireworks to be sold from a Convenient Know Your mobile sales premise," according Bulk Source to the Town's legal department in Deliveries responding to questions about the Pick Up OBM hearing. Available Rocket Fireworks currently operates 19 mobile retail trailers in SoilS MulcheS 10 communities across Ontario AggregAteS from Ottawa to London around rockery the summer holiday season, in ad905-336-7725 dition to permanent locations in LINGTON R 2273 Dundas St., U Toronto and Barrie. B Burlington, ON GARDEN SUPPLIES The 625-square-foot office trailLIMITED by Michael Gregory VISIT US AT burlingtongardens.ca Town blocks mobile fireworks company from coming to Oakville Town of Oakville bylaws currently restrict the sale of fireworks from mobile trailers, like the one seen above, because of past concerns of unlicensed vendors. The Town has taken legal action to block Rocket Fireworks from operating in Oakville. | submitted photo er used by Rocket Fireworks for its retail space has fire separations in its stock area, and follows federal regulations limiting the quantity of fireworks that can be stored on site. Under the Town's licensing bylaws, fireworks cannot be sold from any "mobile sale premise," which includes a tent, trailer, roadside stand and motor vehicle. "It's purely a perception of where the Town wants to go and what mobile operations will do to it," said Rocket's president Tom Jacobs, adding he's all for stringent forms of licensing, which protect the vendors and consumers. In Mississauga, the bylaw specific to the sale of fireworks permits items to be sold from a trailer, but not a motorized vehicle. Burlington also permits the sale of fireworks from mobile trailers, as does Milton. In all cases, vendors must follow guidelines for road setbacks, as well as requirements administered by Natural Resource Canada's Explosives Regulatory Division. Oakville's Deputy Fire Chief George Birtig said the Town's current bylaw was put into place because of past run-ins with unlicensed fireworks vendors. "The real issue that ends up happening is you having unsafe vendors, flying in, flying out, and we don't have any control over see Bylaws on p.5 Thank you to the dedicated participants and donors who attended this year's OTMH Golf Tournament. This event was made possible through the generous support of our sponsors. We owe each and every one of them a HUGE thank you! Together, we raised $90,000 (net) for Oakville's Hospital! PrOUdly SPOnSOrEd By