City council wants more details regarding an application for a new cannabis retail store on 9th Avenue SW, east of the Travelodge in Salmon Arm.
The application came to the city from B.C.’s Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch.
The site is at 2321 9th Ave. SW, the former home of a Kawasaki dealership. The applicant is ShuCanna Growers Corp.
The application was discussed at the city’s April 3 development and planning services meeting. Although council members voted unanimously to forward it to the April 11 council meeting where a public hearing will be held, they would like more information provided at that meeting.
Coun. Kevin Flynn noted that Staff Sgt. Scott West said Salmon Arm RCMP have no issues with the location, but the “legality of having retail cannabis space coupled with a cultivation operation will have to be addressed by the provincial regulatory body.”
Flynn said the city staff report contained no mention of a cultivation operation.
Planner Chris Larson said all provincial regulations would have to be satisfied, and the application was initiated by a referral from the province, so it was staff’s assumption that all provincial boxes are being checked. He said it is his understanding there is another cannabis-related use on the site but he had no further details.
Coun. Louise Wallace Richmond said it was unfortunate the applicant didn’t attend the planning meeting because “whatever their secondary cannabis production piece is, I was going to ask about odour mitigation, that sort of thing.”
She noted there is a residential development just east of the site.
Flynn questioned whether, if there is more than just retail on the site, cannabis cultivation would be an allowed use in the highway commercial zone – regardless of input from neighbours.
Mayor Alan Harrison responded by saying Flynn had raised a good point.
Larson said staff would confirm whether cultivating and processing is permitted in that city zone. Mayor and councillors emphasized they would like to hear from the applicant, while Harrison pointed out that the applicant is expected under city policy to attend the public hearing in order to answer questions raised by the public and council.
The public hearing will be held after the long weekend at council’s Tuesday, April 11 meeting, which starts at 7 p.m.
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martha.wickett@saobserver.net
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