Pubdate: Wed, 26 Feb 2014
Source: Record, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2014 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.royalcityrecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1654
Author: Theresa McManus

POT SPOTS BRANCHING OUT IN CITY

New Westminster is going to pot - but only in certain areas of the city.

A day after a medical marijuana grow-up went up in flames in Langley, 
city council held a public hearing regarding bylaw changes that would 
limit the growing of medical marijuana in heavy industrial zones. The 
city had previously proposed that medicinal marijuana operations be 
contained to the P8 zone, but that's no longer the case.

"We've gone in a completely different direction. The most recent 
report states it is going to be suggested it be permitted in the M2 
heavy industrial district. The P8 was basically one property - the 
works yard," said senior planner Barry Waitt. "M2 has a lot more 
properties than that."

The M2 heavy industrial district has significantly more properties 
than P8, including sites in the Braid industrial area, along Brunette 
Avenue, (mostly on the south side), pockets of land in Queensborough 
and waterfront property near Kruger.

"Council directed us to do it. ... They didn't like the narrow 
approach we came up with. They directed us to talked a broader 
approach. Under the older approach, it had to go through a rezoning. 
They wanted not to have that situation. It (rezoning) is not 
(required) if someone finds a site that is M2."

Following the public hearing, council approved the zoning change that 
would allow medical marijuana to be grown in the M2 zone.

Coun. Betty McIntosh later told The Record she supported the move but 
reiterated concerns that she thinks the College of Pharmacists should 
be involved in the distribution of medical marijuana.

"I think the government has not gone far enough on it. Just giving it 
as a drug, is not how most people can use it. Most use it in a 
preparation of some type," said McIntosh, a registered nurse. "They 
need it in an oil form that is standardized, or in a form they can 
put in a cookie. I am not being facetious - I am trying to think of 
the actual way it is used. People who suffer should get it in a true 
medical way."

A staff report notes the federal government is changing the 
regulations regarding the production of and access to marijuana, with 
the new system moving to larger commercial scale production, rather 
than the production of marijuana by individuals.

"Local governments weren't informed of where these places were. Now 
they do have to come to us," Waitt said. "All the standard 
requirements, the building and fire, would kick in."

According to staff, the distribution and production of marijuana 
outside of the Health Canada guidelines remains a criminal offence.

The New Westminster Police Department will continue to enforce the 
illegal production of marijuana.

"There's always overlapping jurisdictions. There are Health Canada 
regulations. In this particularly bylaw we put in a couple of 
conditions of use that fall under our jurisdiction, and there would 
be building requirements that would need to be met, and licensing 
requirements," Waitt said.
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