Unanimous votes on important issues are rare among municipal governments in the Comox Valley.This isn’t necessarily a bad thing — in their wisdom, voters have elected people who contribute a diversity of experience and philosophy that helps to ensure a wide range of Comox Valley perspectives will be represented.Nonetheless, a unanimous vote by Comox council a week ago stood out.A lefter-leaning majority typically outnumbers Couns. Ken and Tom Grant, who are related only by the common experience of finding themselves on the losing side of many a vote.However, the Grants carried the day last week by persuading the rest of council to reject a sweeping business licence bylaw amendment that could limit hours of operation for companies operating in the town.A 3-3 'non-decision vote' in a packed council chamber in December initially turned down John Watt's development permit application.He sought to store and sell topsoil, finished compost and bark mulch as well as building a covered fuel facility at his topsoil operation at 1660 Knight Rd. near the Comox Valley Airport.At another well-attended meeting in January, council issued the permit subject to conditions that limit the amount of product stored outside and increase the height of a berm along the property's west side to 4.5 metres.Some residents of the area expressed concern about increased noise from truck and equipment activity. Many of them packed Comox’s small council meeting room and some stood right behind councillors as they weighed the issue.Nonetheless, Ken Grant said the subsequent bylaw would impact every business in town, and warned council about the message it might send to the larger business community.Council members not named Grant who normally seem to have no problem restricting business (i.e. banning drive-thrus) did the right thing this time by deciding to keep working with individual companies about concerns from residents.editor@comoxvalleyrecord.com