Pubdate: Thu, 05 May 2016
Source: Chief, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2016 Whistler Printing & Publishing
Website: http://www.squamishchief.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2414
Author: Jennifer Thuncher

HAVE YOUR SAY ON MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES

Public hearing on Squamish regulations set for May 24

The public will soon have a chance to weigh in on the district's
proposed marijuana dispensaries regulations.

A public hearing has been scheduled for May 24 after council passed
second reading of the zoning amendment bylaw and three readings of the
fees and business licence bylaws Tuesday night.

Councillor Doug Race opposed the motions but did not speak to his
opposition at this meeting. In previous meetings, he has said he did
not support passing the bylaws prior to the federal government
legalizing marijuana. Storefront dispensaries remain illegal under the
federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and the criminal code.

Zoning regulations currently proposed for Squamish include no
dispensaries within 300 metres of another dispensary, a school or the
Squamish Youth Resource Centre. In previous drafts of the regulations,
the youth centre was not included in the buffer zones.

Dispensaries will be permitted in all retail zones except along
Cleveland Avenue.

Technically, under the currently proposed bylaw, nine shops could set
up: two in Brackendale, three in Garibaldi Estates, one in the
business park and three downtown.

A change to the previously drafted bylaw is that no individual may
hold a business licence if an immediate family member already has a
licence. Also, a dispensary cannot be operated in conjunction with
another use in the same shop.

Business licences for dispensaries will cost $5,000, which district
staff says is to recover the cost of extra staff resources to process
and regulate the dispensaries.

Each application must include a security plan, air filtration system
and criminal record checks for the licensee and managers. Dispensary
licensees must also acknowledge in writing that marijuana dispensaries
remain illegal.

Dispensaries will allowed to be open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Minors must be
accompanied by an adult and no on-site consumption will be allowed.
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MAP posted-by: Matt