Pubdate: Tue, 03 May 2016
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2016 Times Colonist
Contact:  http://www.timescolonist.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Bill Cleverley
Page: B1

MARIJUANA RULES SEEK TO WEED OUT NUMBER OF SHOPS

City Bylaw Changes Expected by June, Then Rush Is on for Zoning Applications

Proposed municipal regulations to govern the budding Victoria 
marijuana dispensary businesses are expected to weed out a number of 
pot shops downtown.

The proposed changes go before councillors this week and, if 
approved, city staff expect to have the necessary bylaw changes ready 
by June. Once the zoning bylaw has been changed, shop owners would 
have to apply for individual rezonings to operate.

"One of the things that I was very happy to see, and certainly one of 
the things I was pushing for, is case-by-case, one-on-one rezoning 
for anyone who wishes to open under the new regulations," said Mayor 
Lisa Helps.

"That will give communities [and] neighbourhoods some certainty and 
some opportunities to weigh in on a case-by-case basis," she said.

The number of marijuana-related businesses in Victoria has exploded 
in the past 20 months from four to an estimated 35, including about 
32 storefront marijuana retailers.

Given that the regulations would prohibit marijuana dispensaries from 
locating within 200 metres of a school or each other - and the city 
plans to process applications on a first-come, first-serve basis - 
that could mean a mad scramble to get permits.

City staff suggest there may be room for flexibility in the policy 
calling for the 200-metre distance between storefronts in large urban 
centres or downtown. Helps thinks the minimum distance should stand.

"I don't think we want these concentrated in the downtown or 
concentrated anywhere. I will ask staff where they got the language 
with regard to flexibility," Helps said.

She noted undergoing a rezoning is a fairly onerous process and that 
all costs associated with the new policy will be borne by the 
applicants. "We'll see who's serious about these businesses and who 
is not," Helps said.

Staff have backed off earlier recommendations to both ban the sale of 
marijuana edibles and ban delivery of marijuana products.

Those changes were welcomed by Kate Dalgleish, whose Green Mountain 
Consulting specializes in guiding marijuana-related businesses, and 
Alex Robb, spokesman for Trees dispensary.

The issues surrounding the sale of edibles were huge, Dalgleish said.

"I think that's probably one of the biggest pieces of contention with 
dispensaries because for a lot of dispensaries it's a large part of 
their business, and it's a large part for the patients who are 
dependent on that," she said.

Dalgleish predicted if there is flexibility in the distance between 
storefronts in the downtown, there will be about 20 shops when the 
dust settles.

"I think there's probably going to be a natural contraction in the 
market because it's sort of untenable how many dispensaries there are 
open right now. I think that's just plain market forces. But the 
regulations probably also will condense down the number of them," she said.

Robb called the proposed regulations "a step in the right direction."

"I think the City of Victoria is probably going to use these 
[regulations] to ensure there is a baseline standard for all 
dispensaries to follow. This will be a way for them to close down 
dispensaries that prove to be a nuisance," Robb said.

He said there's no question operators will be scrambling to get in 
line for a licence once the zoning changes are in place.

"Everyone operating today who doesn't want a business licence 
shouldn't be operating after these licences come through," Robb said.

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[sidebar]

NEW REGULATIONS

Key provisions of the new regulations include:

* Marijuana businesses must be at least 200 metres from schools and 
other medical-marijuana operations. * No marijuana use allowed on 
site. * Limit hours to 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. * No other business can be 
conducted on the premise of a medical-marijuana retailer. * Charge an 
annual licence fee of between $4,000 and $5,000. * No one under 19 on 
premises. * No advertising to minors. * Odour-control/air filtration 
systems must be used. * Health warning signs posted. * Security plan 
required. * Minimum of two employees on site. * Video surveillance 
cameras required. * Secure storage of valuables on premises required.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom