Pubdate: Wed, 23 Apr 2014
Source: Okotoks Western Wheel (CN AB)
Page: Front Page
Copyright: 2014, Okotoks Western Wheel
Contact:  http://www.westernwheel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1638
Author: Don Patterson

LIMITS PITCHED FOR MEDICAL POT IN FOOTHILLS

Foothills: Open Houses Planned On New Land Use Bylaw

Medical marijuana producers looking to set up shop in the foothills
could be restricted to locations in the Aldersyde Industrial corridor.

The proposal is part of a major revamp of the MD of Foothills' land
use bylaw, which will also see the number of residential land use
areas expanded and new rules to discourage development in flood areas.

Under the proposed changes, medical marijuana producers will only be
allowed as a discretionary use in areas zoned as Direct Control #2.

MD Reeve Larry Spilak said the MD is trying to be prepared for the
potential producers will look to locate in the foothills area with the
changes. If medical marijuana is produced in the foothills, he said
the Aldersyde industrial corridor is the most appropriate area.

He said MD councilors aren't keen to medical marijuana producers set
up shot in the area, but recent changes to federal laws regulating the
production of medical marijuana laws allow people to get into the
businesses of growing the drug.

"We may be forced into it because these permits are approved by the
federal government," said Spilak.

In addition to limiting medical marijuana to the Aldersyde industrial
area, the MD's land use changes will ensure marijuana production will
not be allowed in residential areas. As well, it will not be allowed
in proximity to certain other facilities, such as schools, childcare
facilities or recreation facilities.

The MD will also outline conditions medical marijuana producers will
be required to meet under the municipal planning processes, such as
landscaping, signage, parking, access and delivery.

The proposed changes to the land use bylaw will be the subject of four
open houses planned over the next couple weeks, with the first at the
Scott Seaman Arena in Heritage Heights on April 29. Additional
meetings will be held in Priddis on May 1, High River on May 6 and in
Longview on May 8.

Rules regarding the production of medical marijuana in Canada changed
significantly when new federal regulations came into effect at the end
of March. The rules have forced municipalities to bring in new
regulations for how they will deal with new medical marijuana
production facilities that look to open within their borders. Under
the new federal rules, people with prescriptions for marijuana will no
longer be able to grow it themselves. This leaved federally licensed
producers as the only legal source of medical marijuana.

Federal regulations outline a long list of rules for licensed
producers, regarding building standards, and operating practices and
strict security measures for licenses production facilities. Licensed
producers must also provide details of their operations with local
police and production will not be allowed in homes. The federal
government is also requiring producers to follow municipal zoning laws.

MD planner Coreena Carr said they don't have a date set for when the
new land use bylaw will be presented to council for a decision. After
the open houses are complete, she said the MD will review feedback and
present it to council to see if there are any changes that need to be
made.

"Ideally we'd like to have it done by the end of the year, but a lot
of that depends on the comments and concerns we get," she said.

The MD's existing land use bylaw has been in place since 1999. There
have been a number of amendments over the years, including the Dark
Sky rules brought in to limit light pollution, but the bylaw has not
been significantly updated for almost 15 years.

Carr said the MD has spent the last couple years reviewing it and it
needs to be rewritten to keep it in line with other changes the MD has
made over the years, including the adoption of the new municipal
development plan in 2010.

"We've been working on this for a couple of years, doing a full
review," she said.

In addition to the Medical Marijuana provisions, the MD is proposing
the creation of a number of new land use districts.

Carr said a number of new commercial and industrial land use areas,
such as the proposed general industry district, is designed with
industrial growth in the Aldersyde area in mind.

The MD is also looking at creating two new residential land use areas
- - multi-family and country estate residential zone.

At present, the MD only has three different residential areas under
its land use rules, country residential, cluster residential and
hamlet residential. Areas zones as cluster residential can have a
housing density of up to 0.25 units per acre and Hamlet areas can have
a density of up to 10 units per acre. The proposed country estate
zoning will allow a moderate housing density of up to five units per
acre, similar to what exists in towns in the foothills.

"So a lot of areas like Sandstone Springs, Sirocco and those
developments would all fit under that kind of density," said Carr.
"It's just because the trend seems to be to have a lot more desire for
that kind of development and council seems to be approving a lot more
of them."

The MD is also proposing a new land use zone for flood hazard
protection, that was developed after last year's flood.

"It's an attempt to discourage development on lands that are subject
to flooding and that's including trying to identify lands that were
affected by the 2013 flood," she said.  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D