In a move that acts as a “two-fer” for Carrboro Leftists, aldermen have voted to ban new drive-thru windows in the downtown area. The goal says the story, is to stop car idling and to get people walking. No matter, of course, that it will be a pain in the you-know-what. That of course is secondary to the global warming alarmists. So, if a new bank or pharmacy or Wendy’s wanted to provide services in downtown, the new business would be banned from having a drive-thru window. Thankfully, at least some residents spoke out against the ridiculous move.
A number of people, however, argued that drive-through windows help the elderly, the disabled, their caregivers, the sick, and parents with small children take care of their business without having to get out of their vehicles.
Retiree Richard Ellington told the board during a public hearing Tuesday night that banning all drive-through windows would be elitist and discriminatory.
“The town doesn’t need to be making choices telling me how to conduct my life,” he said. “Not all the citizens are 20-somethings.”
Linda Lloyd, whose family owns a large piece of property known as the Lloyd Farm across from Carrboro Plaza at the corner of N.C. 54 and Old Fayetteville Road, was angry at the board and accused the members of trying to change the rules just as a developer is about to submit the final application to build a large mixed-use development on the property.
So, rather than be seen as the elitists they are, the board voted to “allow” new drive-thrus in some areas, but not downtown.
After the public hearing closed, Alderman Damon Seils proposed the compromise that would completely ban drive-through windows in the downtown area but allow them in the commercial zones along N.C. 54, and after a bit of discussion in which board members said they wanted to make sure all residents had access to services, the board voted unanimously to apply the ban only to the M-1 zoning areas.