Pubdate: Thu, 06 Feb 2014
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2014 Times Colonist
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/letters.html
Website: http://www.timescolonist.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Jeff Bell

NORTH SAANICH NIXES GROW-OPS FOR MEDICAL POT

Council cites safety issues, but one pre-approved licence will go ahead

North Saanich council has said no to medical-marijuana production in 
the municipality, but one application for a licensed grow-op was 
filed in time to beat the new rules.

"There was quite a discussion," said North Saanich Mayor Alice 
Finall. "We did have a lot of presentations against it and a couple for it.

"The vote eventually was to prohibit for the near future any grow-ops 
in North Saanich."

Finall said council accepts that a single request will go ahead.

"There's a certain process they go through, and we were told by our 
chief administrative officer that that application has been validly 
made and will supersede the legislation," she said. "If these people 
proceed as they have said they would, there will be one on McTavish Road."

Finall noted that medical-marijuana operations are governed by 
federal legislation, but must meet local zoning regulations, 
municipal staff has said. As of April 1, federal regulations will 
change to encourage large-scale production over small, home-based 
production that can be hard to monitor.

"They changed that really because of complaints by many 
municipalities, including North Saanich, of the individuals growing 
it exceeding the number of plants and different issues," Finall said.

Safety was a concern, too, she said.

"We had a couple in North Saanich and in residential areas, one of 
which had a fire. That very much upset the neighbours."

In Central Saanich, a recent application for growing medical 
marijuana has been made by Evergreen Medicinal Supply Inc. The 
company would locate in a windowless, concrete building that is in 
place near the Pat Bay Highway and Island View Road.

In the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area, director Mike Hicks said the plan 
is to "spot zone" for medical-marijuana enterprise. As well, it will 
be classified as "intensive agriculture" within the Agricultural Land Reserve.

Existing rules for setbacks will apply, he said.

"If they can't meet those setbacks, then they're going to have to ask 
for a variance and they're going to have to ask their neighbours."

Hicks said he anticipates benefits from the operations.

"They're going to provide, as far as we know, possibly 10 jobs per 
unit. We can use the jobs out here."

Medical-marijuana operations have to be inside a building and are 
closely regulated, Hicks said.

"We're trying to learn as much as we can about it, but we're 
certainly not saying 'Not in our area.' "

Provincially, the B.C. Assessment Authority said that 
medical-marijuana operations might qualify for assessment at farm rates.

The Union of B.C. Municipalities said local governments will have to 
take a careful look at potential tax benefits before approving a 
site, as well as their appetite for having that sort of business 
within their jurisdictions.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom