Results are in for the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) survey of public opinion on cannabis production regulations.
The two most-cited concerns about cannabis production and processing in the electoral areas of the FVRD were odour, and distance from residential areas.
Feedback was sought last February on where, and what type of cannabis-related land uses should be permitted.
The data is being used to draft land-use regulations for cannabis production and processing in Electoral Areas A, B, C, E, and G.
“The regulations will allow for the operation of legal cannabis land uses while minimizing any negative impact to surrounding properties,” according to FVRD survey summary.
The majority of respondents (68%) expressed concerns about negative impacts from cannabis production, so “regulations to minimize impacts will be important.”
Overall there was more acceptance of large-scale cannabis in industrial zones.
The survey netted 465 responses from the public, and the next steps will be drafting the land-use regulations.
The FVRD adopted a land-use policy for cannabis production, processing, and retail sales in October 2020 for the electoral areas.
Implementation is in two phases. The first phase, completed in March 2020, restricted cannabis production in Electoral Areas D, F and H. Phase two was the survey, which staff will use to create regulations which allow for cannabis production and processing in Electoral Areas A, B, C, E, and G.
Other concerns cited by survey respondents:
• use of agricultural lands to grow cannabis
• safety
• light pollution
• distance to parks
• building size
RELATED: Survey went online last winter
RELATED: Pre-legalization it was a different story
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