Pubdate: Thu, 01 May 2014
Source: Northern Life (CN ON)
Copyright: 2014 Northern Life
Contact:  http://www.northernlife.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2396
Author: Darren MacDonald

CITY MULLING RULES FOR GROW OPS

Looking to limit locations away from residential areas

With several groups already expressing interest in opening up shop
here, the city's planning committee approved guidelines Monday evening
to govern applications for medicinal marijuana production facilities
in Greater Sudbury.

Among many other restrictions, the facilities will be restricted to
industrial lands, and will have to provide a 150-metre buffer from
other lands. City planner Eric Taylor said there's 231 properties in
city limits that have enough space and are zoned properly to host the
facilities.

"Medical marijuana production facilities are a new land use and the
city has the ability to regulate the location of these facilities
through the city's zoning bylaw," Taylor said.

If the city doesn't pass laws saying where the grow-ops are permitted,
Taylor said applications could be permitted in several zones,
including agricultural and aggregate lands, and the city couldn't
legally stop them. That's why staff is recommending the city pass
bylaws now, before they have to deal with an application.

Ward 7 Coun. Dave Kilgour, who chairs the committee, compared it to
rules governing the location of cell towers and solar panels, which
are federal jurisdictions. Up until recently, cities could only
provide comment on where they were erected, not approve or deny
applications.

"There's some misconception out there that the city can decide who and
when," Kilgour said. "The actual licensing is done through the federal
government. The only input we have is how we zone it and where these
operations will be permitted."

New federal rules that took effect April 1 banned the small grow-ops
that have supplied medical pot users for more than a decade. Those
smaller operations were largely ungoverned, and many operated in the
middle of residential areas - much to the irritation of neighbours
forced to put up with the smell and noise the operations produced.

Neighbours of one such grow-op that operated out of Val Therese
attended Monday's meeting to describe what they have endured under the
old system. While not opposed to medical marijuana in principle,
Patrick Slack said the smell coming from the grow-op next door was
unbearable.

"It was above and beyond what any human being should be asked to deal
with," Slack said.

But Guy Charbonneau, an approved grower who operates out of the Flour
Mill, said he spent hundreds of thousands of dollars ensuring his
facility was vented properly, emitted no smells and that his product
was safe.

"It's the best medicine there is in the world," Charbonneau said,
inviting members of the committee to come and tour his King Street
operation. "I run a top-notch facility and I make sure it's healthy
medicine."

He's concerned that moving the production facilities to industrial
areas won't be good for the plants, since they may be affected by the
chemicals.

But a proponent for one of the unidentified operators interested in
setting up shop in Sudbury said the most important thing for them was
to have clear rules to follow.

"We will follow your guidelines in every way possible," Bob Bateman
said, adding the industry could become an economic engine for Greater
Sudbury. "A 75-metre or 150-metre (buffer) is fine."

While approved by the committee, the new rules must still be ratified
by city council to become law.
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MAP posted-by: Matt