Dysart et al council has finally given developers the thumbs up to proceed with a Tim Hortons in Haliburton.

After months of back and forth discussion council approved changing the zoning on the proposed property for the restaurant from suburban residential to highway commercial.

The decision was made at a special meeting held on Aug. 7, where members of council unanimously agreed to approve the draft zoning bylaw.

Located on County Road 21, the property was subject to meeting certain municipal bylaw criteria, including a minimum of 28 parking spaces. The draft site plan includes 29 spaces, said municipal planner Patricia Martin.

A traffic engineering study was conducted by the Haliburton County roads department, which stated the Tim Hortons corporation would need to financially cover the cost of a right and left hand turn lane and for the road to be widened in front of the restaurant.

The changes were necessary for safety reasons, according to earlier reports from county road superintendent Doug Ray.

Representatives for Tim Hortons have been in discussion with the department for the past few months, however it is unclear what the final outcome is.

“I think Tim Hortons has come to an agreement with the county and will be supplying the money to do the work required,” Dysart Reeve Murray Fearrey told council. Fearrey is also a member of the county’s roads committee.

Chair of the road’s committee, Highlands East Reeve Dave Burton said he wasn’t certain if an agreement had been struck between Tim Hortons and the county but he believed one had been.

Ray was on vacation at the time of press and the county was unable to comment on the matter.

Current property owner Jerry Walker was in attendance at the meeting and thanked council for their persistence and cooperation in the matter.

“I think it [Tim Hortons] will be a good thing for the town,” said Walker.

The property located on County Road 21 is deemed commercial, according to the municipality’s official plan.

The change in zoning permits the developers to construct a drive-through, 24-hour Tim Hortons restaurant, complete with a patio and Cold Stone Creamery.