Tim Hortons has been given the green light to proceed with plans to build a restaurant.

Members of Dysart et al council passed a resolution giving support in principle to amend the zoning for the property where the corporation would like to build a restaurant at a special meeting of council on June 11.

Approval of the zoning amendment is contingent on certain conditions being met.

The proposed location is on County Road 21 and, if approved, zoning will be changed from suburban residential to highway commercial at council's June 25 meeting, said municipal planner Pat Martin.

While concerns from neighbours and members of the community have been brought forward it was a recent letter that sparked serious concern from council.

Dysart Reeve Murray Fearrey informed those in attendance an investigation by the OPP was being conducted into a letter that was posted in the post office suggesting two councillors were dead.

The anonymous letter referred to a car accident in Haliburton in front of the new Tim Hortons.

The letter says the fictitious accident killed Councillor Andrea Roberts and Deputy-reeve Bill Davis.

The letter blames unsafe road conditions in front of the restaurant for killing the politicians.

Calling the letter a "sick joke," Fearrey said council would not be dropping the matter.

He asked all those in attendance to sign in and said there would be no delegations allowed.

"Today we will not be discussing site plan approval," he said.

A traffic study has been completed by the county of Haliburton regarding the construction of a restaurant on County Road 21, said roads superintendent Doug Ray.

Ray said the roads department would be making a recommendation to the roads committee at their June 13 meeting to enter into a site plan agreement with Tim Hortons.

The agreement would ask that Tim Hortons complete right- and left-hand turning lanes into the site, a paved shoulder and road widening, said Ray.

Fearrey emphasized there would only be one paved shoulder, to prevent vehicles from parking on County Road 21 on the opposite side of the road.

The committee has since approved the site plan agreement (see full story below).

Despite requests that Tim Hortons look into other locations, Fearrey said council had been trying its best to work with neighbours and deal with concerns.

"The downtown is jammed . I understand why they looked outside the downtown," he said.

All but one council member voted in favour of amending the zoning bylaw.

Councillor Steve Pogue voted against.

According to the municipality's official plan, the property is designated highway commercial.