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The District of Mission will take its proposed 'no grow' zoning amendments to a public hearing on Monday night.
In August the council approved in principal zoning bylaw changes that would effectively ban medical marijuana commercial operations from setting up in the community.
The exception would be a proposal that will meet the new site criteria the district wants to introduce, and if the enterprise would provide benefits to the community.
"We'll look at a specific site, and we could spot zone. But people will have to demonstrate some advantage to the community," said Mayor Ted Adlem.
As of April 1, the federal government will no longer permit individuals to legally grow marijuana plants for personal medical use, or permit designated growers to cultivate it for them.
As part of its phase out, Health Canada stopped issuing new medical marijuana permits as of Oct. 1, and by the end of March next year, Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations will be in full effect.
The federal government will require medical consumers to order their pot from licensed commercial growers and have it shipped to them.
Mission is proposing significant setbacks in each of its zoning areas that could be difficult to meet, said Adlem, "unless the operators had really deep pockets, with millions of dollars. Along with the federal regulations, it won't come cheap."
Potential sites could be in commercial or agricultural zones, but not in any residential areas.
The minimum industrial parcel must be 0.4 hectares (9.8 acres), or 8 ha (19 acres) in the Agricultural Land Reserve.
Minimum setbacks in industrial areas will be 7.5m (23 ft.), and 30 m (98.5 ft.) in the ALR.
The site would require a three-metre (9.8 ft.) landscape berm and buffer and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design analysis.
On-site services may be considered on a site-by-site basis.
The council would also consider the jobs created, tax gain or loss, community benefit, and proposals would be subject to a public hearing.
Mike Younie, director of development services in Mission, said depending on the response from the community at the public hearing, the council may put the zoning amendments through third reading, or ask the staff to rework the report to reflect community input before adopting the changes.
Adlem noted that once medical marijuana users can no longer legally grow pot for themselves, it will be up to the municipalities to root them out. He questioned whether individuals who grow their own right now for medical purposes will stop because Health Canada has asked them to.
At last count, Mission had 912 permitted marijuana growing operations, he said.
"The federal government will wash their hands of those. I know we'll be left to remedy all the issues and the taxpayer will be end up paying that bill," Adlem said. "I think the federal government has a moral responsibility to fix the problem they started."
Younie said the staff will see if the district can develop any strategies to deal with the soon-to-be illegal grow-ops, or "just leave it up to the RCMP."
News Hawk- Truth Seeker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: abbotsfordtimes.com
Author: Christina Toth
Contact: Contact Us - Abbotsford-Mission Times
Website: Public hearing for Mission grow-op zoning amendments tonight - Abbotsford-Mission Times
In August the council approved in principal zoning bylaw changes that would effectively ban medical marijuana commercial operations from setting up in the community.
The exception would be a proposal that will meet the new site criteria the district wants to introduce, and if the enterprise would provide benefits to the community.
"We'll look at a specific site, and we could spot zone. But people will have to demonstrate some advantage to the community," said Mayor Ted Adlem.
As of April 1, the federal government will no longer permit individuals to legally grow marijuana plants for personal medical use, or permit designated growers to cultivate it for them.
As part of its phase out, Health Canada stopped issuing new medical marijuana permits as of Oct. 1, and by the end of March next year, Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations will be in full effect.
The federal government will require medical consumers to order their pot from licensed commercial growers and have it shipped to them.
Mission is proposing significant setbacks in each of its zoning areas that could be difficult to meet, said Adlem, "unless the operators had really deep pockets, with millions of dollars. Along with the federal regulations, it won't come cheap."
Potential sites could be in commercial or agricultural zones, but not in any residential areas.
The minimum industrial parcel must be 0.4 hectares (9.8 acres), or 8 ha (19 acres) in the Agricultural Land Reserve.
Minimum setbacks in industrial areas will be 7.5m (23 ft.), and 30 m (98.5 ft.) in the ALR.
The site would require a three-metre (9.8 ft.) landscape berm and buffer and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design analysis.
On-site services may be considered on a site-by-site basis.
The council would also consider the jobs created, tax gain or loss, community benefit, and proposals would be subject to a public hearing.
Mike Younie, director of development services in Mission, said depending on the response from the community at the public hearing, the council may put the zoning amendments through third reading, or ask the staff to rework the report to reflect community input before adopting the changes.
Adlem noted that once medical marijuana users can no longer legally grow pot for themselves, it will be up to the municipalities to root them out. He questioned whether individuals who grow their own right now for medical purposes will stop because Health Canada has asked them to.
At last count, Mission had 912 permitted marijuana growing operations, he said.
"The federal government will wash their hands of those. I know we'll be left to remedy all the issues and the taxpayer will be end up paying that bill," Adlem said. "I think the federal government has a moral responsibility to fix the problem they started."
Younie said the staff will see if the district can develop any strategies to deal with the soon-to-be illegal grow-ops, or "just leave it up to the RCMP."
News Hawk- Truth Seeker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: abbotsfordtimes.com
Author: Christina Toth
Contact: Contact Us - Abbotsford-Mission Times
Website: Public hearing for Mission grow-op zoning amendments tonight - Abbotsford-Mission Times
