Councillors relax bylaw restrictions on pot shops

Regina city councillors have loosened restrictions on where Regina pot shops will be able to open, after hearing concerns from downtown and Warehouse District property owners.

The executive directors of both inner-city business improvement districts stood to request changes to proposed zoning bylaw changes on Monday ’s council meeting. Last month, councillors had tentatively approved a plan that would keep marijuana dispensaries out of much of the Warehouse District and make them a discretionary use downtown.

But Judith Veresuk of the Regina Downtown Business Improvement District said that plan “will effectively eliminate downtown as a viable location for cannabis retail stores.” She noted that the discretionary use provision would add four months onto an already tight timeline for those hoping to open pot shops.

Coun. Andrew Stevens, who represents the downtown, said council needs to pay attention to those business interests. He said people downtown just aren’t concerned about pot shops.

“I put a little effort into outreach,” he said. “I wanted to talk to organizations downtown that housed community-based organizations, that housed daycares — no concern. There was no concern about the harm to children or families.”

He proposed an amendment to make pot shops a permitted use downtown, which would make them allowable by right throughout the area. It passed with resounding support, with only Coun. Bob Hawkins opposed.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to have young people hanging around marijuana stores, and I think there should be a measure of control,” he said.

Hawkins also opposed an amendment to allow marijuana dispensaries in all but two small parts of the Warehouse District. Like Veresuk, Leasa Gibbons of the Warehouse Business Improvement District had asked for the change, producing several letters from property owners to back up her bid.

Once again, Hawkins was alone. Coun. John Findura said that kids rarely go into the Warehouse District, making it the perfect location for pot shops. Coun. Jason Mancinelli agreed.

“I think this is one of the least-populated areas in the city and I can’t see the harm,” he said.

A third amendment attracted more opposition. Stevens tried to cut the buffer zone in half, from about 600 feet to 300 feet — or only half a city block.

The amendment was defeated. Councillors had not voted on the bylaw itself at press time, but it already had their support in principle and was expected to pass.