Pubdate: Thu, 18 Feb 2016 Source: Province, The (CN BC) Copyright: 2016 Postmedia Network Inc. Contact: http://www.theprovince.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476 Author: Matthew Robinson Page: 15 CITY SLAPS DOWN POT-SHOP APPEALS Strict Enforcement: Board to Hear 58 More Cases Vancouver's board of variance found itself in unfamiliar territory Wednesday while considering appeals from pot shops seeking relief from city decisions to snuff their trade. Proponents for Cannpassion Medicinal Cannabis Dispensary, Vancity Medicinal Society, B.C. Pain Society and Weeds Glass and Gifts were first in a long line of applicants slated to appeal their rejected bids for medical marijuana business licences. Over the next nine months, 58 other applicants are scheduled to present their cases to board members. Up first was a trio of appellants who spoke for Cannpassion. The trio, including Kris Mudliar, told board members the dispensary had been open for four years and they said their appeal had written support from nearly two dozen neighbours. The dispensary, in the 2900-block Kingsway, is a popular spot with a 4.7 out of five rating on Leafly.com - a marijuana enthusiast website something akin to a Yelp of pot. The proponents explained to board members their shop was refused a licence because it was fewer than seven metres too close to a nearby school. Under the city's regulations, dispensaries cannot be located within 300 metres of schools, community centres or public gathering places. Cannpassion's proponents argued the dispensary was actually more than 300 metres from the school on a door-to-door basis, but staff explained that the city's regulations call for surveys to be done from nearest property line to property line. Their appeal was denied in a unanimous vote. "I do sympathize with the dilemma this applicant is in, but I do not support this appeal," board member Martha Welsh said before she led the round of voting. As the afternoon proceeded and appellants were denied one after another, it became clear board members were applying the city's regulations strictly. Arguments appealing to the medical benefits of marijuana were of little use at the technical board. S.W.E.D., in the 3400-block E. Hastings St., was among the three other dispensaries up for appeal. The store previously was a Weeds Glass and Gifts, a chain of shops led by outspoken marijuana entrepreneur Don Briere. Adam Blender explained that S.W.E.D. (short for Smoke Weed Every Day) spun off from Weeds over "a difference of opinion." S.W.E.D.'s appeal was also denied. "It seems like the decision was made before we got here," Blender said, adding his next step would be to look for a different spot in the city to set up shop. But those are getting hard to find, he said. When Vancouver announced last summer it would begin regulating marijuana dispensaries, staff found themselves sorting through 176 applications for business licences. By that time well over 100 pot shops had already set up in the city. Just 14 applications met the city's zoning requirements, and staff expected to have those shops legalized by the end of this month. Another two dozen or so were clustered too close to each other and staff continue to sort out that problem. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom