Land-use contract among pot shop hurdles

The first Kelowna pot shop proposal to emerge from a group already given preliminary city review is planned for 1100 Lawrence Ave.

It would be located in a small strip mall near the corner of Lawrence and Gordon Drive, next to the Kiwanis Tower apartment building.

A necessary first step in the rezoning process, however, is extinguishment of a land-use contract that covers the property. Such an application was accepted into the city’s planning intake system this week.

A total of 15 possible marijuana store locations were identified earlier this month by city officials. All proposals were reviewed by a city team that gave each proposal a score out of 100 based on such things as compliance with city-specified rules for cannabis stores, security provisions and overall business plan.

Of the 15 applications, five were decided through a lottery at City Hall. The random lottery was conducted for applicants that scored within five points of each other or were located with 500 metres of another proposed pot shop location.

City planners have said the specific pot shop proposals will be coming forward to council for consideration and the necessary rezoning at meetings in March.

However, even if city council grants the site-specific rezoning, would-be store owners also have to be approved by the provincial government.

As a result, it’s not expected a pot shop will open anywhere in Kelowna for several months.