Pubdate: Wed, 24 Jul 2013
Source: Maple Ridge News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2013 Maple Ridge News
Contact:  http://www.mapleridgenews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1328
Author: Neil Corbett

A NEW PRESCRIPTION FOR POT

The District of Maple Ridge doesn't yet have a medical marijuana 
grow-op bylaw, but it's already hearing from an applicant who wants 
to set up a large-scale shop.

John Moonen, a lobbyist for a company called Agrima Botanicals, was 
at council's committee of the whole on Monday. Agrima is based in New 
Westminster, but already has a comparatively small-scale medicinal 
marijuana operation on farmland in Maple Ridge, growing for a limited 
number of patients under the current Health Canada system.

The federal Health Ministry announced in January that it will phase 
out individual licences, which allow medical marijuana users to grow 
pot in their own homes. Instead, all medical pot will be grown and 
distributed by highly regulated and secure commercial operators.

The present system has been problematic, in that neither 
municipalities nor police even know where the legal grow-ops are, and 
local officials have claimed the loosely regulated operations are 
targets for criminal grow rips, and are fire hazards.

The new system will come into effect in April 2014, and Moonen said 
Agrima wants to hit the ground running with a new licence under the 
incoming regulatory regime.

Moonen has not heard that there will be limits on the number of 
licences, but, in his opinion, Ottawa is making the new requirements 
so stringent that few operators will have the financial wherewithal 
and expertise to meet them. For example, the new grow ops must have 
zero pollen or odour emissions. He said Agrima has a three-tiered air 
purification system with charcoal filtering to meet this requirement.

Moonen added the security requirements are comparable to what would 
be expected at a financial institution or "diamond cutting operation."

He would not elaborate as to precisely what security measures will be required.

Nor would Moonen say where the existing facility is, or even whether 
any of the principles involved are from Maple Ridge.

"There are a lot of security concerns, and that has to be paramount."

Agrima has already begun talking with neighbours of the proposed 
medical marijuana facility. He declined to characterize their reaction.

"That's between us and the neighbours."

Moonen works with Reputations Corporation, which is part of the 
Public Relations Organization International Inc. The company's 
website says Reputations was hired to build public support for 
InSite, a harm reduction facility in Vancouver.

Council will deal with Agrima's proposal under its new medical 
marijuana zoning bylaw. An earlier bylaw that had been given two 
readings by council has been rescinded, and the new bylaw was slated 
to get first and second readings at last night's regular council meeting.

The debate as to whether these operations should be located on 
industrial or agricultural land has been settled. A resolution passed 
in May by the Lower Mainland Local Government Association (LMLGA) 
urged the Union of B.C. Municipalities to lobby for the 
industrial-only land restriction.

However, Maple Ridge's view that these large-scale growing operations 
should be located on farmland has been backed up by the Agricultural 
Land Commission, which has decided growing pot is a bona-fide 
agricultural use. That means no municipality can prohibit marijuana 
grow ops on farmland.

It also means these "farmers" could enjoy a big tax break.

Coun. Mike Morden pointed out that pot growers will now be able to 
apply for farm tax status, which is a far lower tax rate than 
industrial property owners pay.

The district's bylaw includes setbacks of 60 metres from front and 
exterior lot lines, 30m from wells and streams, 30m from residences, 
a separation of 200m from schools and a minimum of 1 km separation 
from other commercial medical marijuana facilities.

Planner Diana Hall said the district is putting the new bylaw forward 
knowing it may be challenged, and changes may be necessary to amend 
or clarify it. However, she said the district wants to have some 
controls in place.

The topic was first raised with the question of whether the district 
could ban the facilities outright.

Coun. Corisa Bell asked what other municipalities are going ahead 
with a medical marijuana bylaw.

Hall said the district has been in touch with neighbouring cities, 
and "this is something they're all taking on."

Council's bylaw would go to the ALC for comment, then be offered for 
public input prior to being passed.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom