Saanich tweaked a bylaw to legalize the retail sale of recreational cannabis in the same commercial zones where liquor is sold.
They approved the potential amendments Monday and held a public hearing Tuesday.
General commercial/liquor retail zones allow businesses such as liquor stores, medical services, rental and repair of household tools and appliances; offices, restaurants; beverage container depots; and adult and child daycares. The amendment adds non-medical cannabis retail stores to the list.
Saanich defines a non-medical cannabis retail store as “an establishment that engages in the retail sale, for non-medical purposes, of cannabis for consumption elsewhere than in the establishment.”
It also allows for recreational pot shops to operate legally in sites zoned for general commercial/liquor retail, shopping centers/liquor retail, civic core/liquor retail, high-density tourist accommodation/liquor retail, neighborhood public houses, urban mixed-use zones.
Saanich also requires a Cannabis/Liquor Licence Referral Application in addition to the required provincial licence. If zoning does not permit the retail sale of recreational cannabis, site-specific rezoning is required in addition to the provincial and municipal licensing applications.
