Forums → WEPR → Zoning Law Prevents 13 Year Old From Selling Hot Dogs
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Back in July, a zoning officer shut down Mich's hot dog stand.
Nathan is a 13 year old boy who's parents are both on disability. His mother suffers from epilepsy and his father has multiple sclerosis. Nathan decided he wanted to help his parents out, so his parents allowed him to sell hot dogs. Nathan gained permission from Reliable Sports to sell hot dogs on their property, that way, they could help each other attract customers.
The food cart wasn't open for 10 minutes before a a zoning officer shut his cart down.
Greg Robinson, City of Holland Assistant Manager, explains the reason behind the zoning law. According to Greg Robinson, the only food carts allowed are those connected to "brick-and-mortar"* restaurants. According to this *******, we can't have kids competing with existing businesses!
* I'm assuming 'brick-and-mortar' restaurants refers to restaurants that exist within an actual building.
It's OKAY to compete with a business after buying a building, paying taxes associated with owning a building, having to pay for costly maintenance, and finally bills associated with owning a whole entire building. But if you have a cheap hot dog cart and you're on property that's already being paid for, then APPARENTLY it's not fair to those who have to pay all those extra costs. God forbid we support efficiency.
The kid has his hot dog stand shut down, because it's wrong to compete with other businesses and decrease their profits. But, it's perfectly okay to prevent people, such as the kid, from making money at all!
YouTube Video - Hooray!
Oh, and guess what, Nathan and his family are now HOMELESS.
Homelessness! WOO!
Last week, Nathan and his family made an appeal to the Holland City Council. Mayor Kurt Dykstra defended the cityâs ordinance, saying it was to protect downtown restaurant owners, who asked that the "success of the downtown district not be infringed upon by those who don't share in the costs of maintaining the attractiveness of that space."
They property Nathan was selling his hot dogs on was owned by the retailer who pays those extra costs! It would be a different story if the kid was on his own property where he wasn't paying taxes, but he's already on taxed property! There's no sense in taxing the same property twice, once for the kid and once for the retailer!
Anyone who wants to start a business should be allowed to start said business. It really doesn't matter how old they are or the state their family is in. Nathan is just a prime example of how good people get screwed over.
- 35 Replies
No, the government can NOT be allowed to pick favorites. Everyone should be able to sell hot dogs as the kid was. If it won't hurt to let the kid with sick parents sell hot dogs, it won't hurt to let anyone else sell hot dogs either.
Well, obviously i don't think favouritism is right, but i think due to circumstances, looking the other way could have potentially helped them keep their home?
except all of the small business resturaunts in the area
Although most people are saying it wouldn't be that big of a deal - it could turn out to be. If the majority of kids took to the streets selling things, business could suffer. I think the occasional few are really no harm.
Well, obviously i don't think favouritism is right, but i think due to circumstances, looking the other way could have potentially helped them keep their home?
It would be best if it was legal in the first place.
Although most people are saying it wouldn't be that big of a deal - it could turn out to be. If the majority of kids took to the streets selling things, business could suffer. I think the occasional few are really no harm.
Well, yes and no. It wouldn't just be legal for kids to have food carts, it would be legal for everyone. If more people opened food carts to the point where the restaurants couldn't keep up, then that means the people running the carts would be making more money. It would be beneficial to the people running the food carts.
Who cares if opening food carts will hurt restaurant's businesses? By not allowing food carts, you hurt the food cart business. Either way, someone's business gets hurt. It's better to let competition hurt a business than government zoning laws.
. It's better to let competition hurt a business than government zoning laws.
yes I deeply agree with this
wow i thought that the two girls who had there lemonade stand shut down was bad and seriosly who was that judge i mean this is probably how they found him."Ok whos the biggest absolute most stupid and imoral person we can find""I KNOW OSAMA BINLADEN!"I dont think i spelled the nam right but you get the idea
what is this I don even--
no. just, no.
I'm moving to Antarctica, anyone coming with me?
that's dumb, the company agreed to it, too.
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