Pubdate: Tue, 14 Jan 2014
Source: Chatham Daily News, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2014 Chatham Daily News
Contact: http://www.chathamdailynews.ca/letters
Website: http://www.chathamdailynews.ca
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1627
Author: Trevor Terfloth

MEDICINAL MARIJUANA CRITERIA RECEIVES GO-AHEAD

Planning Report Presented

Chatham- Kent council has given the green light to a planning report
on medicinal marijuana criteria for any potential operations.

The rules will ensure safety and compliance, said Robert Brown, a
planning consultant with Storey Samways Planning, during Monday's meeting.

"This will also include fire code, building code and electrical safety
issues," he said.

Health Canada introduced its new marijuana production and processing
regulations last year.

These rules were put in place to provide more quality control, as well
as secure and sanitary conditions.

The municipal planning amendments call for each marijuana processing
facility application to be reviewed and zoned separately. Other
requirements include:

- - Setbacks of 75 metres from a residential, institutional or open
space boundary within primary urban areas;

- - Setbacks increase to 100 metres in locations not in a primary urban
area;

- - Establishing parking requirements;

- - Prohibiting residential uses on lots zoned for marijuana
production.

Brown said potential producers would have to notify local government,
police and fire officials.

Council approved the planning report unanimously.

Mayor Randy Hope said he wanted further information on how the
municipality can monitor operations, noting that Canada is a massive
geographical area for the federal government to deal with the issue.

"I really believe that is an important element as we move forward," he
said.

Council also approved a zoning amendment for an Ontario numbered
company to allow a medical marijuana production facility as a
permitted use in Chatham Township on Longwoods Road.

According to the report, the applicant purchased the property in the
hopes of establishing a facility under the new guidelines.

Speed limit hike discussed

Councillors discussed a possible hike in the speed limit to 90 km/h
from 80 km/h on certain stretches of road.

However, a staff report was received for information purposes only,
with the matter to be dealt with during the upcoming budget
deliberations.

If council ultimately decides to increase the limit, it will result in
an $11,400 increase to the public works annual base budget for road
maintenance, due to higher priority minimum maintenance. "Now it 's
our responsibility whether we take action," Hope said.

Bondy motion passed

Chatham Coun. Michael Bondy entered a successful motion for a
resolution that the municipality doesn't support the deep geologic
repository of low and intermediate-level nuclear waste in Kincardine
from the Bruce Nuclear Power Station at this time.

He stated that more information is needed to ensure safety, as well as
explore possible alternatives.

The motion will be forwarded to the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Cities
Initiative for distribution to the authorities and interested parties. 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D