Pubdate: Sat, 11 Jan 2014
Source: Nanaimo Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2014 Nanaimo Daily News
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1608
Author: Spencer Anderson
Page: A3

MEDICAL POT ISSUE AFFECTS TAX BASE

Nanaimo city council to consider zoning amendment on Monday to remove
potential industrial-land use

Nanaimo city hall is moving to to address what it says could be a
threat to its industrial tax base from new medical marijuana facilities.

City council will consider a zoning amendment Monday that would remove
medical marihuana as a permitted use on land zoned industrial (14) in
the city, primarily in the Duke Point area.

The proposed change is coming forward to address concerns that
marijuana producers on industrial land within the city could apply to
be assessed under the farm category and therefore pay a significantly
lower tax rate.

If council ultimately endorses the motion, that would officially
reverse a decision it made last year, when the city specifically
designated I4 lands and AR1 and AR2 agricultural rural residential
zones for medical marijuana production.

The proposed zoning amendment before council Monday would include a
site-specific exception for property at 1100 Maughan Rd., where a
medical marijuana facility is slated to be set up this spring.

A B.C.-registered company, Lafitte Ventures, has already received
council approval to convert an existing warehouse building on the site
into a new facility. A Seattle-based investment firm, Privateer
Holdings, set up the company and is behind the investment.

City council voted in December to amend zoning for 1100 Maughan Rd.
from 'light industrial' to 'industrial,' since the I4 lands had
previously selected to allow medical marijuana production. The company
is now awaiting a building permit from city hall and is working to
acquire a licence from Health Canada, which is making sweeping changes
to how medical marijuana is produced in the country, effective April
1. The city has also secured a registered covenant on the land to
ensure the proponent will not apply to be assessed under 'farm status.'

Council can vote Monday to give first and second reading to the
rezoning on Monday. It must also go to a public hearing before third
reading and final adoption.

Bruce Anderson, manager of planning and design, said medical marijuana
projects will still be allowed under AR1 and AR2 zoning, but said he
does not believe the region will see of a sudden influx of new facilities.

"They're typically of an industrial scale," he said. "I don't expect
we'll see many in the regions.

The Regional District of Nanaimo is also considering allowing medical
marijuana production in rural areas.
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MAP posted-by: Matt