Pubdate: Thu, 06 Sep 2012
Source: Abbotsford Times (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 The Abbotsford Times
Contact:  http://www.abbotsfordtimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1009
Author: Christina Toth
Page: 4

PHARMACY SHELVED AFTER DRUG RUMOURS

New plans for downtown coming in new year

Mission council approved a zoning amendment last month that would ban
pharmacies and medical clinics from setting up shop in the community's
downtown core, at least until downtown revitalization plans are put
into place next year.

However, the district is now facing a lawsuit by the party that wanted
to open a pharmacy at 33133 First Ave., the former site of the
community policing station.

Council made their decision at a special meeting Aug. 9 to support the
zoning change, in a 5-2 vote. Opposing the exclusion were councillors
Jenny Stevens and Nelson Tilbury. Both councillors were uncomfortable
supporting a motion they believe was based on unsupported rumours the
proponent intended to sell medical marijuana, and dispense methadone
and needles to addicts.

"First of all, every other pharmacy in town can dispense methadone, so
that's not new," said Stevens, but she mainly objects to bylaws that
target groups or businesses. Mission tried that in 2000, when it
proposed 11 bylaws to restrict activities downtown, but all were
dropped as they were legally questionable.

"You can't legislate against a group of people, full stop. It's
against the Charter of Rights . . . and I'm not prepared to support a
bylaw that targets one business, and that's what this bylaw does," she
said.

A downtown resident, Stevens added the community, which happens to
accommodate low-income seniors and other residents, needed a pharmacy
to service the area.

After the vote, Mayor Ted Adlem insisted the zoning change was made in
support of reviving the downtown area, not because of rumours. He
noted there were other pharmacies at nearby shopping centres.

As the application to renovate the building was made in the spring,
talk began to swirl that the proposed pharmacy would dispense
methadone, medical marijuana and needles to drug users.

On May 22, the district withheld the building permit until the June 25
public hearing, where council's proposal to amend downtown zoning to
exclude pharmacies and medical clinics from Railway, First and Second
avenues received at least 78 letters in support, most from downtown
businesses and their employees.

When asked by Stevens at the public hearing, Umesh Raniga, a
representative of Life Pharmacy Inc. and 0773184 BC Ltd., said the
business would not dispense needles or be a methadone clinic.

It was to be a small pharmacy and would offer diabetes, blood pressure
and immunization clinics.

Tilbury said he first supported a push by the district and merchants
to bar the pharmacy if the owners intended to do something illegal.
But he became concerned when he found nothing to support the rumours,
yet the proponent was still turned down, after initially being told by
district staff he could go ahead with his plan.

"I can't vote in good conscience for something based on a rumour,"
Tilbury said. As a longtime advocate for small business, "it troubles
me that a city would go back on its word," he added.

Dr. Lyndon Balisky, head of the Mission Downtown Business Association,
said some MDBA members feared such a methadone dispensary would
"attract the wrong type of people," by concentrating vulnerable
recovering addicts in the area and drawing in drug dealers that would
try to prey on them.

That "would be a business killer" just as the district was trying to
revive interest in the area, he said.

However, many local merchants were also concerned that businesses were
being restricted downtown, he said.

In the end the MDBA as a group decided to support the zoning amendment
and district plans to revive the downtown area.

Adlem has said the district could spend up to $200,000 for
revitalization in the downtown core.

District planners and an external consultant will develop the plan,
which should be complete by the end of December.

Director of planning Sharon Fletcher said a request for proposals for
a consultant should be out this week, with a consultant hired by October.
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MAP posted-by: Matt