The District of Metchosin is prohibiting cannabis production and sales as a precautionary approach to protect agricultural land, according to Mayor John Ranns.
The DistrictB次元官网网址檚 land use bylaw was amended on Oct. 15 B次元官网网址� just prior to legalization B次元官网网址� and states that B次元官网网址渘o person shall use any land, building or structure for cannabis production, cannabis sales or medical cannabis production.B次元官网网址�
Production is, however, still allowed in certain areas such as the Agricultural Land Reserve, where it legally cannot be prohibited.
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Ranns said that a public hearing about the matter was held and was well-attended, although he was out of town at the time.
He noted the amendment is just temporary and will be re-visited to ease up on some of the restrictions once more direction is given from the provincial and federal governments.
B次元官网网址淭here is such uncertainty with regards to regulations B次元官网网址� we adopted a cautious approach,B次元官网网址� Ranns said. B次元官网网址淲e basically restricted everything we could legally do with the thought being that as we became more certain about what the province and feds were going to do B次元官网网址� weB次元官网网址檇 open that up at the time.B次元官网网址�
READ MORE: Highlands says no to pot, unless businesses rezoned
The main concern, Ranns said, is to protect farmland in Metchosin.
B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 want to have greenhouses with cement floors stuck all over our agricultural land,B次元官网网址� Ranns said.
He also said that enforcement of rules like allowing four plants per household is difficult with a limited amount of resources.
Ranns said council did not want to set a precedence of no restrictions and then have to add them later. He said it will be easier to remove restrictions as the District sees fit when the time comes.
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B次元官网网址淚 believe I can speak for the council when I say that we do support the legalization of cannabis,B次元官网网址� Ranns said. B次元官网网址淏ut these generalized positions can really come back and bite you if you donB次元官网网址檛 really do your homework on what the unintended consequences of any bylaw that you write are.B次元官网网址�
Ranns said he thinks community members are supportive of these actions as well, noting that two of the DistrictB次元官网网址檚 councillors who took a cautious stance in regards to cannabis were just re-elected.
B次元官网网址淚 suspect that the majority of the community appreciates our initial caution,B次元官网网址� Ranns said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got a lot at stake here in terms of protecting our farmland.B次元官网网址�
shalu.mehta@goldstreamgazette.com
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