The District of 100 Mile House is seeking the publics’ input on two proposed retail cannabis locations.
One of the proposed locations is Our Kitchen Corner at 355 Birch Ave. A retail license application sign has been posted on the storefront window for the purpose of issuing a council resolution. The second applicant location has not yet been identified.
“We had an intake period where we were accepting applications referred to us by the province,” said Joanne Doddridge, the district’s director of economic development & planning.
The intake period closed on Sept. 13.
“We need to gather the views of the public about the two locations being proposed,” said Doddridge. “The next step in the process will be a public hearing.”
The upcoming public hearing will be held inside the council chambers on Dec. 4. at 6 p.m. Residents can also submit written applications to the district which must be submitted no later than 4 p.m. on the day (Dec. 3) before the hearing.
Each proposed location meets the established requirements – located on C-1 zoned parcels that front directly onto Birch Avenue, between First Street and Fifth Street on the ground level.
According to the Government of British Columbia website, the province can not issue a retail cannabis license without the approval of a local government.
Community input from the public hearing will determine whether the proposed locations will move forward with the licensing.
“After the public hearing, the council will deliberate and decided whether they support the cannabis store,” said Doddridge. “They could support just one, both or neither of them.”
According to the District of 100 Mile House, a cannabis retail store must: use the front door for public access to the retail storefront, install video surveillance, ensure no odour is detectable from the property or neighbouring properties and ensure cannabis and its accessories are not visible from outside the store.
If the district does not decide a resolution of support for the application(s), the process will stop. The district notes that advertising and area notifications will start being made public this week and next.
