Maple Ridge council will not be supporting a proposed cannabis retail store on 225th Street.
The Chronic Cannabis store, which would have been situated at 11771 225th Street is too close to other cannabis retailers, council decided. The city has a bylaw requiring one kilometer separation between stores.
Two councillors said they would support the applicant, Maple Ridge native Tory Feuer, if he came back to city hall proposing a new location for the store.
“Should they change locations, I would love to see this come back to us,” said Coun. Kiersten Duncan.
Coun. Ryan Svendsen also called Chronic a quality applicant, who could be successful with a different location. He said with stores approved at 222nd, 224th and 227th, there are enough cannabis retailers in the downtown.
Both Duncan and Svendsen voted against the application.
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Councillors Judy Dueck and Chelsa Meadus supported the store.
Dueck noted council had made exceptions for other cannabis retailers who were within one kilometer of existing stores.
The Muse cannabis store is still being considered at a Westgate Shopping Centre location, despite the fact it is within one kilometer of a proposed government store at Lougheed and 207th Street.
“I struggle with the procedural fairness of it,” Dueck said.
“For me it’s about choice, and it’s about availability.”
Meadus said council could let market forces decide the issue of how many stores are needed, saying if too many open for the demand, one will be forced to close.
Coun. Gordy Robson said he did not like the proposed location because of its proximity to a child care centre.
“I don’t understand why we would put a pot shop next to a daycare and below a rooming house,” he said.
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