By Gagandeep Ghuman
Published: Feb. 05, 2014
Squamish council has decided to permit medical marijuana production on land zoned industrial or light industrial, whether that is in downtown or in the business park.
At a regular council meeting on Feb. 4, Squamish council decided to rescind an earlier decision of Dec. 10 to amend the district’s zoning bylaw that would have prohibited the use of any land for medical marijuana grow-ops.
That earlier decision to restrict the marijuana production emanated from public concerns about smell and production in downtown Squamish in areas close to residential neighbourhoods.
As part of an omnibus amendment in December, staff had recommended that council maintain medical marijuana production on industrial and light industrial, but restrict it in downtown and Oceanfront peninsula lands.
But this Tuesday (Feb.04), in a unanimous vote, council decided to not restrict its production in any specific zone in Squamish.
“We are supposed to be open to business, and I get anxious when we are banning something,” said Coun. Bryan Raiser.
Coun. Susan Chapelle said she wasn’t supportive of banning one industry over the other.
“Any bio-medical facility should be welcomed in town,” she said.
Its welcome news for those who wish to rent their property downtown to marijuana production.
A downtown land owner who spoke on the condition of anonymity said he welcomes the council decision.
“Our taxes are through the roof, and this opens up an economic possibility for land owners,” he said.
Something smells fishy here.
“Coun. Susan Chapelle said she wasn’t supportive of banning one industry over the other.”
Susan. Aren’t fast food facilities “Industry”?
I fully support medical marijuana, and legalizing it. However, these grow ops, or production facilities should not be in residential areas.
You have to be careful on marijuana. Personally I am okay with full legalisation, but at the moment it is not legal, and dealers and gangs fight over production. There have also been incidents of legal grow ops illegally harvesting for non-medicinal purposes, which can tie back into crime. All of this is not something you want happening in or near residential areas where they know it’s being produced. Not a good idea at all.
I have to also take issue with Coun. Raiser’s statement about not wanting to ban things. Isn’t that exactly what we’re doing with our future drive-thru ban? What’s that going to accomplish exactly, except locking out a future ‘healthy fare’ drive-thru operator and locking in the unhealthy incumbents? And why are we so open to legal marijuana but Chubby Chicken is apparently the devil? Which is worse for you on a per incident basis: smoking a joint, or eating a cheeseburger (hint: it’s not the cheeseburger)?
And lastly to the idea that we don’t want to give the impression that we’re not open for business. It feels like the District has been on a mission to do the opposite — witness the brouhaha over a bank wanting to locate in Garibaldi, the putative future drive-thru ban, back to back tax increases, etc. I think we can do better here if being open is really our goal. Or we need to be more honest about what we are actually open to.
Nicely stated Brad
How about a drive thru “medical” marijuana joint. If the customers are so ill, wouldn’t it be easier to get it without exiting their vehicle? Then again, numerous studies associate marijuana use with causing a variety of medical problems. A possible slogan for branding Squamish-“Squamish-more than one way to get mountain high”
You always bring a smile to my face Larry.
Spineless wimps…money and taxes come first here….