Pubdate: Wed, 26 Jun 2013
Source: Nelson Star (CN BC)
Copyright: 2013 Black Press
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/4kNvY8sy
Website: http://www.bclocalnews.com/kootenay_rockies/nelsonstar/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4866
Author: Greg Nesteroff

RDCK MULLS MARIJUANA REZONE

A rural Nelson regional district director says he hasn't made up his
mind about a zoning application for a commercial medical marijuana
operation.

A North Shore couple has applied to rezone their 40-acre residential
property as agricultural, which would let them grow medicinal pot and
employ up to ten people. They were previously denied a variance
application.

Although they don't yet have a license, they're hoping to be among the
first to receive one under new federal regulations that took effect
last week.

However, the two dozen or so neighbours who turned up for a public
hearing spoke uniformly against the proposal, according to area
director Ron Mickel, who chaired the meeting.

One of them, Rocco Mastrobuono, says he's worried about unwanted
attention being drawn to the neighbourhood.

"It's a lure to people who have a problem with this drug or who want
to steal it and sell it themselves," he said in an interview. "My
concern is just that our sense of security will diminish."

Even if the grow operation itself is well secured, he fears adjacent
homeowners will suffer property crime.

"We have a nice, quiet neighbourhood where we can leave vehicles
unlocked and still find them in the morning. We want it to stay that
way."

Neighbours also felt the 24-hour security and surveillance would
change the nature of the residential area.

While nobody specifically protested the type of business, Mickel said
they were "leery about the risks they were being asked to take. The
proponents did a good job answering their questions, but it still
takes quite a high level of trust."

The proponents, who asked not to be named, said they wanted to avoid a
confrontational meeting and brought only written submissions of
support. They said of the 36 letters entered into the record, 21
supported the rezoning, including a doctor, nurse, and the North Shore
water utility.

"One small group of neighbours who do not even share our access road
has gotten together to create resistance, grasping at straws with
regards to our zoning application," they said.

They believe they have addressed every issue raised, including
security, odour, and traffic. Some concerns, they added, were based on
old regulations governing medical marijuana and wouldn't apply under
the stringent new requirements.

"Under these new regulations, we will not be allowed to impact any of
our neighbours negatively. We will be clean, quiet, and have very
little traffic. We will fit in better than any previous uses of this
property and create far less traffic." (The property formerly had a
working nursery.)

Despite the opposition, the couple feel Mickel and the regional
district handled the meeting well. "We believe the RDCK will come to
the right conclusion, providing some sorely needed jobs in this area
and keeping in tune with the spirit of the Kootenays."

Following further discussions with the proponents, regional district
planners are expected to present a recommendation to the board on July
18, but directors will ultimately take their cue from Mickel, who
hasn't decided which way he'll go.

He says if the application is successful it could mean some welcome
employment and "it would be nice for Nelson to be known for a legal
activity rather than illegal stuff."

But if it's turned down, he doesn't want it interpreted as the
regional district being opposed to medical marijuana. "We're not
opposed to a valid business," he says. "But the site does present some
difficulties."

Other licensed medical marijuana grow operations exist within the
regional district, but all are believed to already be on agricultural
land. The board recently passed a resolution restricting medical pot
operations to such areas.
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MAP posted-by: Matt