Pubdate: Thu, 01 May 2014
Source: Niagara Advance (CN ON)
Copyright: 2014 Niagara Advance
Contact: http://www.niagaraadvance.ca/letters
Website: http://www.niagaraadvance.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4114
Author: Penny Coles

TOWN READY TO LISTEN TO RESIDENTS' OPINIONS ON MARIJUANA FACILITIES

The Town is ready to listen to what residents have to say about 
medical marijuana facilities.

The opportunity for residents to talk about their problems with 
pot-growing operations, which are permitted and licensed under 
federal legislation, will occur at what the Town and planning 
department call a pre-public information meeting, not required as 
part of the planning act. The meetings are designed to give planning 
staff a chance to see what residents are thinking.

Town staff and politicians already know there are concerns from 
Garrison Village residents about the proximity of the Lakeshore Rd. 
greenhouse operation, now being used to grow marijuana, to their 
subdivision. The business hasn't yet received its licence from the 
federal government, but is in the process of applying.

Lord Mayor Dave Eke says he has spoken to MP Rob Nicholson and 
written to Health Minister Rona Ambrose regarding the Town's problem 
with the federal licence review process for grow-op applications.

It doesn't take into account any concerns of the municipality, he says.

He'd like to see a process similar to other planning developments, 
where the Town is asked to comment at the beginning of the application process.

In this case, by the time the Town knows about an application, it's 
too late to have any input, he says.

"Our community is experiencing a great deal of angst with this one 
site in particular," he wrote to Ambrose, "which could have been 
effectively addressed much sooner in the process if our community had 
first been allowed to express its support or concerns about such a facility."

Eke would like the licensing process to be amended to require 
applicants to provide site plan information to Health Canada, which 
would be forwarded to municipalities for comment.

Health Canada could go ahead and approve or turn down an application, 
but at least, said Eke, "our residents would know we're standing up for them."

There are also some regulations he'd like to have clarified, such as 
whether a medical marijuana operation falls under the category of a 
pharmaceutical or agricultural operation. The answer to that would 
determine what is permitted as far as zoning, he said.

Some municipalities, such as Ottawa and Port Colborne, are dealing 
with the issue by treating such facilities as pharmaceutical 
operations, limiting them to areas of commercial zoning.

At the same time, he says, he doesn't want to discount the 
opportunity of such a development to the farming community.

"We want to understand the regulations clearly," he said.

"And we want to listen to the public, and establish exactly what our 
controls can be, or should be."

There will be another public meeting, likely June 16, when the 
planning staff report, incorporating comments from Monday's meeting, 
comes forward, he said.

The May 5 meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. in the council chamber.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom