Orem pumpkin seller keeps home-grown business alive

215

Orem’s “Pumpkin Man” and other mom-and-pop produce sellers should be able to stay in business for seasons to come thanks to a measure passed this week by the City Council.

The motion will allow people to sell agricultural products without a license if their land is under an acre. The rule would also exempt kids selling lemonade from license requirements. Also, products brought from off-site can be sold with a business license on a residential lot.

Since a neighbor filed a complaint with the city last year, Darrell “Bud” Durrant, who lives at 112 W. 1600 North has been working to have the city amend its zoning ordinance so he can continue his 20-year tradition of selling pumpkins in his yard in the fall.

[media-credit name=”Sarah Strobel” align=”alignleft” width=”300″][/media-credit]
Orem's "Pumpkin Man," Darrell "Bud" Durrant, and other mom-and-pop produce sellers should be able to stay in business for seasons to come thanks to a measure passed this week by the City Council.
The old ordinance required a minimum of two acres for produce to be sold. Also, the ordinance required produce to be grown at the site. The city granted Durrant a temporary reprieve last year to sell the pumpkins for the rest of the season.

Paul Washburn, who wrote the amendments in the ordinance for the zone change, said that farmers have worked hard to do what they are doing.

“Our heritage for this city is agricultural,” Washburn said during a public hearing Tuesday night. “We’re farmers, if you raise product, you have the right to sell your own product.”

Residents got emotional as they came out to support of the man in Orem who has affectionately become known as “The Pumpkin Man.”

Jim Jacob, a local farm owner, said he taught his children to work on farms and also could afford more because of money made from the farm.

“I sent six children on missions from farm revenue,” Jacob said. “People should have the freedom to sell what they want from their yard.”

The City Council members had mixed feelings as to whether or not they should allow the change to the ordinance.

Councilwoman Karen McCandless felt they should give it a try. Councilman Mark Seastrand was less enthused, especially in regard to the potential traffic issues that it might cause.

Durrant said traffic issues have never been a problem in the past.

“[Never] even a fender bent in the time that we have been selling the pumpkins,” he said.

Mark Allen, a long-time customer of The Pumpkin Man, said the traffic wouldn’t be a problem.

“Shame on you for micromanaging the city, don’t charge a farmer $25 for selling pumpkins,” Allen said. “Why does the city have to witch-hunt for hypothetical what-ifs? If we had 200 cars as a problem, that would be a good thing. It’s just very myopic, we need more guys like Bud Durrant in the city.”

Under the old ordinance, Durrant would need a business license to continue sales. The council members discussed what should be considered a business license. If the old ordinance is enforced, everyone who sells produce from their yards will be required to purchase a license to sell these products.

Durrant said he already pays taxes and licensing for the products that he uses on his farm.

“Farmers already pay a sales tax on everything, we are selling our products to try and make back that money,” Durrant said. “We pay taxes on water, on equipment, on everything there is. We have to have a license to buy [herbicide] sprays. I just bought a thousand gallons of diesel fuel, I had to pay taxes on that. We’re trying to sell our product, we’re trying to put beans on the table, we’re trying to bring revenue to the city.”

Durrant’s 8-foot-tall sign was a cause of concern for Councilwoman Margaret Black.

“I think it’s intrusive,” she said. “I think it should be a smaller sign. I’m thinking of the neighborhood, not just the individual seller.”

The council voted to have the maximum size for the sign reduced to 6 feet high.

Orem Mayor James Evans said this local government helps issues like these.

“I think it was a great example of a need being raised, it is a good example of how local government works,” he said. “We talked to the neighbors and staff and looked at the best win-win.”

Durrant had mixed feelings about the decision.

“I’m happy that they’re going to let me sell my product,” Durrant said. “Do I agree with everything they said? No, but I’ll live with it. I think they need to do some thinking. Do the math. They spend more money trying to get the $25 and regulate sellers than they’re going to get out of it.”

Print Friendly, PDF & Email