City plans to isolate pot shops downtown
No pot shops on Main or Front streets. That is just one of the city’s proposals for how it will regulate the sale of marijuana once it is legalized in October.
On Tuesday, the city released proposed regulations around cannabis sales, but City Hall also want public feedback.
Among the regulations being proposed around retail stores is the city doesn’t plan to limit the number of shops, but does plan buffer zones that limit the number of pot shops in the downtown.
If the buffer zones are approved, there would be no more than seven shops in the downtown core.
Stores won’t be permitted within 300 metres of another licensed cannabis store in the downtown and not within 750 meters of another in the city proper. The city would also like to create 300-m buffers around schools.
“The city-wide survey provided great direction for the development of the framework,” said city planning manager Blake Laven. “After reviewing our proposed approach with the business community and other stakeholders — and with recent information about the provincial licensing process — we have made some refinements and are now read to more formally share the recommended approach with residents.”
In spring, the city sent out a survey asking questions around the legalizing and sales of marijuana.
The survey showed the majority of residents support licensed shops. Now the city is tasked with how to handle what those stores will look like and what regulations should look like around them.
The cannabis-sales framework will be one of the four topics at an open house the city is holding Aug. 28 at the Penticton Trade & Convention Centre between 4 and 7 p.m.
Residents who can’t attend the open house, but want to review and share their views on cannabis sales, can provide feedback at shapeyourcitypenticton.ca.
Feedback forms can be filled out starting Aug. 24 until Sept. 7. Paper copies are also available at city hall.
There are already a number of marijuana dispensaries operating in Penticton. Some have been selling marijuana illegally and have ended up battling the city in court. Others have been visited by bylaw officers.
Existing shops are not grandfathered to stay once pot becomes legal, said the bylaw department in a previous statement to The Herald. Those dispensaries will have to apply and be approved by the city.
In fact, the city is proposing it will only receive and consider applications from prospective retailers that have been referred to the city through the provincial licensing process.
The Herald’s inquiry into how many applications the city is likely to receive was not answered by deadline.
Another proposal in the framework is that smoking or vaping cannabis will not be allowed in public, only on private property.