Pubdate: Wed, 19 Feb 2014
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2014 Times Colonist
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/letters.html
Website: http://www.timescolonist.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Bill Cleverley

N. SAANICH HITS PAUSE ON MEDICAL GROW-OPS

North Saanich's hot and cold attitude toward medical 
marijuana-growing operations has again turned frosty.

North Saanich councillors on Monday gave two readings to bylaw 
amendments that would prohibit commercial-scale medical marijuana 
operations within the municipality.

Giving the bylaw two readings will have no effect on the one 
application currently in the works but will essentially give the 
council the ability to push the pause button on any similar 
applications coming forward. Any new medical marijuana business 
licence application can be withheld for up to 90 days and a building 
permit can be withheld for 30 days with the potential for a 60-day 
extension, staff say.

This is the second time the municipality has made a move against the 
large grow-ops. In early December, councillors decided to enact a 
prohibition only to reverse course two weeks later.

At the time, Coun. Ted Daly doubted whether a ban was even within the 
municipality's authority, as production of medical marijuana is 
allowed within the Agricultural Land Reserve.

However, North Saanich staff believe that while medical-marijuana 
operations are governed by federal legislation, they must still meet 
local zoning regulations.

A staff report to North Saanich says the grow operations have several 
implications for municipalities, including demand on municipal 
services, fire and electrical safety, nuisance and disturbance, and 
public health and safety considerations.

Councillors received several letters from residents expressing 
concern about the industrial-style operations being permitted in 
residential/agricultural areas.

The municipality plans to revisit the issue in six months - enough 
time, Mayor Alice Finall said, to see how these types of operations 
are functioning in other areas and perhaps even get some first-hand experience.

North Saanich isn't the only local government wrestling with how to 
deal with the issue before new federal rules governing how medical 
marijuana is grown and distributed take effect April 1.

Evergreen Medicinal Supply Inc. has already applied to Health Canada 
for permission to house a medical marijuana-growing operation in a 
building near the Pat Bay Highway in Central Saanich. The windowless 
concrete-block building, built on farmland at 6922 Lochside Dr., is 
surrounded by security fencing and located beside Michell Farm Market.

Mike Hicks, Juan de Fuca electoral area regional director, is looking 
at bylaw amendments governing how medical marijuana-production 
facilities are to be located on ALR land. The amendments call for 
significant setbacks - 90 metres from the front parcel line and 30 
metres from the side or rear parcel lines for production facilities.

But Metchosin Mayor John Ranns said that pushes the large 
bunker-style buildings into the middle of prime agricultural land - 
something that is not conducive to farming.

Metchosin is considering limiting the size of the grow operations, 
which, Ranns said, would more appropriately be considered an 
industrial use than an agricultural use.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom