Pubdate: Fri, 17 Jan 2014
Source: Abbotsford News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2014 Abbotsford News
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/BkAJKrUD
Website: http://www.abbynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1155
Author: Alex Butler

MINISTRY APPROVAL SOUGHT ON POT GROW BAN

Abbotsford Council Wants To Keep Medical Grow-Ops Out

As the nation moves to a system of commercial grow-ops for medical
marijuana production, Abbotsford has approved plans to keep the
large-scale operations out of Abbotsford.

On Monday, council passed third readings for two bylaws prohibiting
grow-ops. One keeps marijuana out of residential and industrial areas,
and the other bans the cultivation on agricultural land.

The bylaw to keep grow-ops off Abbotsford's agricultural areas will
require approval from the minister of agriculture, and both bylaws
require final approval from council.

New federal regulations will stop personal production licensed for
home grow-ops by April, switching instead to facilities that will grow
and distribute all medical marijuana.

Coun. Henry Braun said that as the federal government and the
Agricultural Land Commission have stated that medical marijuana
production is a permitted farm use, he is concerned that a ban of its
growth on farm land will not go ahead.

Coun. John Smith was in favour of the bans, adding that it wouldn't
stop the city from allowing a medical marijuana grow-op through a
zoning variance, but that would have to go through the necessary
avenues like a public hearing.

But the decision may also face opposition from farming
organizations.

The BC Agriculture Council (BCAC), which represents more than 14,000
B.C. farmers and ranchers across the province, wrote a letter to the
minister of agriculture, Pat Pimm, explaining their opposition to
communities imposing bans on the growing of medical marijuana on
agricultural land.

The letter, signed by vice-chair of the council Stan Vanderwaal,
states that the legal growing of medical marijuana should be an option
available to farmers.

BCAC believes that growing medical marijuana is consistent with other
farming activities and an "outright ban to grow a legal crop on
agriculture land is inconsistent with the Ministry of Agriculture's
own objective."

But Banman said that Abbotsford is not the only community seeking a
ban for grow-ops on farmland, and Langley and Delta are seeking
similar measures and approval from the minister.

Banman said that Abbotsford can only ask for the restriction and will
have to "see what the minister says."  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D