Pubdate: Wed, 15 Feb 2017
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2017 Times Colonist
Contact:  http://www.timescolonist.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Bill Cleverley
Page: 3

HOW VICTORIA PLANS TO VET DOZENS OF SHOPS

The process of weeding out dozens of pot shops in Victoria could begin
this week as the first two zoning applications for cannabis
dispensaries come before city councillors for consideration.

Making the applications are two dispensaries in the 500 block of Yates
Street - one already in operation and one proposed. Under the city's
cannabis rezoning policies, storefront cannabis retailers must be at
least 200 metres from each other, so one is bound to fail.

Mayor Lisa Helps said the city is essentially adopting a first-come,
first-served policy.

"In the instance where there are two within proximity, I think that's
the fair way to do it," Helps said.

"These two are within, basically, steps of each other. One got their
application in first so we'll look at that one first and, if that goes
through, then I think the other one will be more difficult."

The intent of the 200-metre policy is to prevent "an undesirable
concentration" of storefront cannabis retailers, city staff say.

Council received an application from Trees, 546 Yates St., on Oct. 20,
last year.

On Dec. 7, an application was received from Pure Releaf, for 510-512
Yates - less than half a block from the Trees outlet.

The city policy reads: "A storefront cannabis retailer should be at
least 200 metres (in a straight line from closest lot line to closest
lot line) from another lot where a storefront cannabis retailer is
permitted, whether or not a storefront cannabis retailer is active or
not. A reduced distance may be warranted in locations such as a large
urban village, town centre or downtown."

Alex Robb, Trees Dispensary community liaison, said the first-come,
first-served approach makes sense. He also supports in general the
200-metre separation between outlets.

"I don't think that it looks good to have dispensaries three doors
down from one another right in the downtown," he said.

"I think when the city put in that provision allowing for variance in
heavily populated areas, they meant something like where the Victoria
Cannabis Buyers Co-operative is on Johnson, and sort of down the
street and over there's a Leaf Compassion Society on Yates.

"So you can't look on the opposite side of the street and see multiple
dispensaries," Robb said.

Robb said Trees has been operating from the Yates Street location
since December 2015.

City staff suggest council has four alternatives in considering the
first two Yates Street applications:

* Move the Trees application to public hearing and defer consideration
of the one from Pure Releaf

* Move the Trees application to public hearing and decline the
application from Pure Releaf

* Move both applications to public hearing.

* Decline both applications.

The new licensing provisions - which came after the city saw an
explosion in the number of marijuana retailers in the past couple of
years - are intended to bring some order to the burgeoning sector even
while the federal government works to fulfil an election promise to
legalize and regulate recreational marijuana.

Thirty-nine marijuana-related businesses are operating in Victoria,
with about 35 operating as storefront medical cannabis retailers.

Under the process now in place, a business licence will not be issued
until a rezoning has been approved.

Meanwhile, marijuana retailers are expected to come into compliance
with business licensing requirements, which include:

* No cannabis consumption on premises

* Operating hours restricted between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.

* A maximum of two display signs without any images.

Retailers are also expected to meet strict security and ventilation
requirements.

No one younger than 19 is permitted on the premises.
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MAP posted-by: Matt