City Bans Drive-Through Restaurants

On an appeal by McDonald's, Ontario Municipal Board upholds city ban on drive-through restarants.

1 minute read

February 15, 2004, 1:00 PM PST

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech


Toronto has banned drive-throughs within 30 meters of homes. This opinion piece discusses the history of this ordinance and praises the city's action."Drive-throughs first became a hot topic in November, 2001, when McDonald's announced it intended to turn its outlet at St. Clair Ave. W. and Christie St. into a drive-through. Naturally, the neighbours objected and the city swung into action, passing an interim control bylaw that prohibited drive-throughs from that part of Toronto for a year. In 2003, city council adopted a permanent bylaw banning drive-throughs. It was then appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board by the Ontario Restaurant, Hotel and Motel Association, the Canadian Bankers Association and a host of other business interests, including OMERS. Late in January, however, the OMB threw out their case."

Thanks to Adam Krom

Tuesday, February 10, 2004 in The Toronto Star

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

Google street view image of strip mall in suburban Duncanville, Texas.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall

A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

4 hours ago - Parking Reform Network

Blue tarps covering tents set up by unhoused people along chain link fence on concrete sidewalk.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work

Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

6 hours ago - Next City

Aerial tram moving along cable in hilly area in Medellin, Colombia.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle

Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.

July 6 - InTransition Magazine