Pubdate: Wed, 03 Jul 2013
Source: Nanaimo Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2013 Nanaimo Daily News
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1608
Author: Darrell Bellaart

WEED STINK HAS RESIDENTS UPSET

Neighbours Want Legal Grow Op Closed

Kathryn Seymour has had enough of the pungent aroma from a legal 
marijuana growing operation as it drifts into her yard, over her 
neighbour's fence.

After hearing her concerns, the Regional District of Nanaimo board of 
directors directed staff members to research options to regulate 
cannabis cultivation, before new federal drug production laws take 
effect next spring.

Seymour, who lives in the Nanaimo River-White Rapids road area, took 
her concerns to the regional board this week.

The Nanaimo River Road area resident wants the RDN to amend zoning 
bylaws to exclude cannabis growing as an allowable use in residential 
rural neighbourhoods.

But Health Canada's pot cultivation rules make no mention of local 
zoning restrictions.

The City of Nanaimo recently wrote a zone bylaw that restricts pot 
growing to the Duke Point industrial park.

Seymour knows her neighbour's pot growing operation is legal, but 
she's embarrassed to have people over, when the skunky smell of ripe 
buds drifts over the fence, into her private garden.

"Basically we can't enjoy our yard," Seymour said. "We had somebody 
working here who was getting headaches from all-day exposure to it."

"This type of operation does not belong in a residential neighbourhood."

Regional directors were sufficiently impressed to direct staff 
members to look into it further.

"I don't know what we can do, but the board was sympathetic," said 
Joe Stanhope, RDN board chairman. "The lady had a really good presentation."

Staff members have contacted the B.C. Agricultural Land Commission to 
find out whether zoning could be used to regulate cannabis 
cultivation on B.C. Agricultural Land Reserve lands.

"We understand a lot of local governments in B.C. are dealing with 
this right now," said Tom Armet, RDN manager of building, bylaw and 
emergency planning.

A report is expected back "in the next couple months," Armet said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom