YARMOUTH, Mass. — Jon Tolley’s family has been selling lobsters out of his Iroquois Boulevard home in Yarmouth since the 1950s. This year, the town’s zoning board shut his home operation down after decades in business.
The board voted 5-0 in favor of denying his petition.
They claimed partly in their town of appeals decision from October, obtained by Boston 25:
“The board agreed that the petitioner does not meet the criteria for a Variance because the hardship is not owing to circumstances relating to the soil conditions, shape, or topography of such land or structures."
The board denied another appeal from Tolley in April.
The longtime lobsterman is gearing up his equipment for another Cape Cod summer.
“My grandfather was a lobsterman,” he said on Wednesday. “My father was a lobsterman. My uncles were cod fishermen.”
He said this all began when someone reported his sign on Main Street. He’s claimed that his family’s operation out of their home was grandfathered in when the town-wide rule changed in 1982.
He explained, “In other words, you’re trying to tell me that every member of the Tolley family since 1930 are a bunch of crooks!”
In April, the zoning board sent town residents who were supporting Tolley out of a meeting.
Tolley told Boston 25, “Have the cops come over and arrest me. But the big problem is they come over and get lobsters with their vehicles when they’re working!”
The 66-year-old says he’ll now bring the Yarmouth Zoning Board to court to continue fighting for his livelihood.
He claims that the town’s allowed him to use property on Main Street to continue his business this summer. But, he’ll have to transport lobsters, live wells, and more from his driveway.
He finished, “Every two minutes, I got to wonder what’s going to happen. They hold my life in the palm of their hands.”
Boston 25 reached out to the town administrator and is awaiting a response.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
©2025 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
