North Cowichan council has adopted a Retail Cannabis Sales Policy, essentially creating a checklist when it comes to approving retail cannabis stores.
That checklist includes businesses ensuring that their location is more than six hundred meters from any schools, playgrounds, and recreation centers; more than three hundred meters between retail stores and these stores need to be located in commercial zones.
Community Planning Coordinator with the municipality, Chris Hutton said six businesses had already submitted zoning applications before this policy was adopted and those businesses will be notified of the policy change.
“We’re going to be providing them with a copy of the policy, then we will be distributing these applications to our planners to review and determine what deficiencies exist because of this change in policies,” said Hutton. “We’ll be working closely with each of the applicants that we have right now to come up with a way to advance these applications, or make some determinations and give them the opportunity to respond.”
Hutton said there are requirements in place stating that these businesses need to be far enough away from specific facilities.
“Applicants who submit for a rezoning to do retail sales will need to comply with our standard requirements for a rezoning application, as well as additional criteria,” said Hutton. “With regard to distance, we’ve put in a six hundred meter buffer requirement from schools, playgrounds, rec-centers and we prefer not to have cannabis retail outlets here.”
Applications will be reviewed by the RCMP, School District 79 and neighbouring jurisdictions like First Nations groups and other municipal governments.
British Columbians have been critical of the provincial government for the slow rollout of these types of businesses, as there are only seven privately-run pot shops in the province, none on Vancouver Island.
