Four-year-old boy battles council to keep fruit and veggie stand open

The merchandise Leo Sanchez presents from his stall in Gatton, a rural city west of Brisbane, have minor blemishes however are deemed unsellable for supermarkets.

“This produce would find yourself in landfill or as animal feed,” his mom Barbara Sanchez instructed 7NEWS.

“The concept is for him to mark the worth as little as potential – sufficient for him to have his financial savings and supply to the neighborhood.”

And his mom says enterprise was thriving till the household was instructed by the Lockyer Valley Regional Council {that a} criticism about Leo’s store had been made.

The written criticism centred on the council’s Planning Scheme, which incorporates guidelines in opposition to organising companies in residential areas.

In accordance with the principles, home-based companies have to be “small scale” and never “visually intrusive”.

“The use, together with any show of products and storage of kit or supplies, takes place in an enclosed constructing or is screened such that it isn’t seen from a public place (eg street) or adjoining property,” the coverage reads.

Whereas the store was not closed down by the council, the criticism has devastated Leo and his household who’ve met twice with council with no decision.

“At this stage, we don’t know what the way forward for the store shall be,” Ms Sanchez mentioned.

Lockyer Valley Regional Council Mayor Tanya Milligan instructed information.com.au that at “no level has Council closed the stall and our workforce continues to work intently with Leo’s household to attain a desired end result for all events”.

“The intent of the Planning Scheme is to not stop the likes of a child’s lemonade stall or family-run operation, however is fairly designed to make sure consistency is established and maintained throughout the area,” she mentioned.

Initially printed as 4-year-old boy battles council to maintain fruit and veggie stand open