Pubdate: Mon, 06 Jan 2014 Source: Nanaimo Daily News (CN BC) Copyright: 2014 Nanaimo Daily News Contact: http://www.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1608 Author: Ben Ingram GROWING POT ON ALR LANDS DEBATED AT RDN New Health Canada rules mean municipalities must look at the impact on their zoning bylaws. Local food producers are generally receptive to the possibility that Agricultural Land Reserve areas might be used for medicinal marijuana production. The Regional District of Nanaimo has announced a public hearing on Thursday to consider proposed amendments to its zoning bylaws to allow for medicinal marijuana production in rural areas. Health Canada has begun a transition to a system of licenced private producers and distributors in a new medical marijuana regime that comes into full force on April 1, 2014. Municipal governments like the RDN have thus been impelled to re-visit their zoning bylaws in order to accommodate the transition from small, residential producers to the new medical marijuana regime. At the RDN's Thursday public hearing in Parksville, voters will be asked to weigh in on two zoning bylaw amendments. The RDN adopted its agricultural area plan in the fall of 2012 with "the goal of enhancing local food production in the RDN." Local producers interviewed by the Daily News said they were optimistic that medical marijuana production could be compatible with stated goals to increase the region's food production. "Let's face it, if you're growing anything, as far as I'm concerned that qualifies for ALR," said Jill Ennals, co-owner of Mitchell's Farm in Nanoose Bay. "There's an awful lot of ALR property that you can't farm . . . I don't like the idea of (producers) doing that kind of thing on arable farm land." Hugh Ashworth of Fallen Fir Ranch in Qualicum Beach said local agriculture faces stiff competition against imported foods and can struggle to be profitable. "What's produced on the island is pretty well insignificant in food," he said. "(It) might be possible to get a better, more financial reward by growing marijuana than growing food." Errington's Ann Voigt, who has produced apples, grapes and pears out of her garden for almost 28 years said she had few worries about the possibility of marijuana production sprouting up on ALR lands. "The people who want to do this in their land, they can do it, we are a free country," she said. "I don't think it would harm anything." RDN chairman Joe Stanhope declined to comment ahead of the public hearing and said he wanted to avoid creating a conflict of interest. The hearing has been scheduled to start at 7 p.m. at the Oceanside Place Arena's multi-purpose room on the second floor. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D