Robert Celt
New Member
It was a quiet open house on Tuesday when Planning Services presented information on their proposed amendment to the horticulture use section of the land-use bylaw to include a definition for medical cannabis.
Of the 15 people who came out to the Nan Boothby Library, most were asking questions about the required buffers and why this was being done now. Some attendees assumed the driving force behind this amendment was coming from an application for a medical cannabis production facility, which is not the case.
Because federal law will not allow a municipality to reject a development application for a medical cannabis production facility, which was determined based on legal consultation, the town decided it would be best to have rules in place before any potential applications are received so they are not caught off guard and playing catch up. For example, an application could come forward as an agriculture use but by defining it as an industrial one they would be taxed at a more appropriate level.
The town's definition of Horticulture Use, Medical Cannabis also requires that all processes be enclosed in a stand-alone building and that the facilities do not cause objectionable or dangerous noise, odour, vibrations, heat brightness or effects on the Bow River, which should be minimal as some facilities currently in operation reuse all of their water.
A facility producing medical cannabis must be 75 metres from a residential parcel or school site and such an operation will be classified as a discretionary use for business park districts and general industrial districts. This would likely place a production site east of the Quarry in the light industrial area should an application come forward, which has not happened yet.
The town isn't the only governing body providing input on such facilities. The police and fire department are also advised of an impending development application and the applicant must then be screened by Health Canada.
Once a site has been approved and constructed within a municipality, Health Canada send in people to do an inspection of the premises to ensure the practices, security and production all meet their standards. If they do not, no licence is given and the facility is not allowed to produce anything until everything is brought up to code.
If all these hoops have been jumped through a facility can begin to produce medical cannabis.
It should be noted that these facilities are not dispensaries and the product is shipped out for delivery and are not sold on site.
Currently, 27 sites have been approved for production since 2013 with 1,200 applications having been received and only 370 from across the country currently being considered.
Anyone who would like to speak before town council on the matter can do so at the public hearing being held at council's next meeting on Jan. 25. You must contact the town by Jan. 21 to be put on the list.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Alberta: Council To Hear Medical Cannabis Definition
Author: David Feil
Photo Credit: None found
Website: Cochran Times
Of the 15 people who came out to the Nan Boothby Library, most were asking questions about the required buffers and why this was being done now. Some attendees assumed the driving force behind this amendment was coming from an application for a medical cannabis production facility, which is not the case.
Because federal law will not allow a municipality to reject a development application for a medical cannabis production facility, which was determined based on legal consultation, the town decided it would be best to have rules in place before any potential applications are received so they are not caught off guard and playing catch up. For example, an application could come forward as an agriculture use but by defining it as an industrial one they would be taxed at a more appropriate level.
The town's definition of Horticulture Use, Medical Cannabis also requires that all processes be enclosed in a stand-alone building and that the facilities do not cause objectionable or dangerous noise, odour, vibrations, heat brightness or effects on the Bow River, which should be minimal as some facilities currently in operation reuse all of their water.
A facility producing medical cannabis must be 75 metres from a residential parcel or school site and such an operation will be classified as a discretionary use for business park districts and general industrial districts. This would likely place a production site east of the Quarry in the light industrial area should an application come forward, which has not happened yet.
The town isn't the only governing body providing input on such facilities. The police and fire department are also advised of an impending development application and the applicant must then be screened by Health Canada.
Once a site has been approved and constructed within a municipality, Health Canada send in people to do an inspection of the premises to ensure the practices, security and production all meet their standards. If they do not, no licence is given and the facility is not allowed to produce anything until everything is brought up to code.
If all these hoops have been jumped through a facility can begin to produce medical cannabis.
It should be noted that these facilities are not dispensaries and the product is shipped out for delivery and are not sold on site.
Currently, 27 sites have been approved for production since 2013 with 1,200 applications having been received and only 370 from across the country currently being considered.
Anyone who would like to speak before town council on the matter can do so at the public hearing being held at council's next meeting on Jan. 25. You must contact the town by Jan. 21 to be put on the list.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Alberta: Council To Hear Medical Cannabis Definition
Author: David Feil
Photo Credit: None found
Website: Cochran Times
