Armstrong council will debate its first retail non-medical cannabis application.
The provincial Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB) has referred an application from Dave Streloff for a shop to be called the Higher Path, and located at 2580 Pleasant Valley Boulevard, to the city for consideration.
Staff is recommending support of Streloff’s application.
“He had a public meeting that he hosted and presented on Sept. 30 at the Oddfellows Hall, and nobody (from the public) showed up,” Armstrong Mayor Chris Pieper said. “I was there, our planner was there, the owner of the building and the applicant were there. It was his due diligence to inform the public of his plan. We did ours by sending out advertising in the media and to adjacent property owners.”
In its adopted cannabis retail store policy, the city indicates applications can be accepted for properties with the C.1 Town Centre Commercial and C.2 Highway and Service Commercial zones. The subject property is located in the C.1 zone.
A report to council prepared by staff shows Streloff currently owns and operates two non-medical cannabis retail stores in Castlegar and Trail. Pieper said he also owns a pizza franchise in the Kootenays.
The retail store is proposed to be open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The application was forwarded to a number of recipients for response. The city’s public works manager, building inspector and engineering firm expressed no concerns over the application. No response was received from the Heritage Advisory Committee, and the Armstrong Spallumcheen Fire Department’s chief and fire prevention officer.
Pieper said there are currently no other applications for cannabis retail outlets.
Council is expected to discuss the application at its regular meeting Tuesday at 5 p.m. If council votes in favour, the application will be returned to Victoria for final approval.
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