Two public hearings were held at the Juan de Fuca Local Area Services building on Wednesday, July 16.
At issue were two bylaws, Bylaw 3922 and 3929, which dealt with definitions of Medical Marijuana Licenced Producer and to define and regulate marijuana production facilities in both Otter Point and Port Renfrew.
The intent is to define and regulate marijuana production facilities as Intensive Agriculture – Medical Marijuana on lands with the Agricultural Land Reserve.
The actual Bylaw will be reviewed to determine specifically how particular lands may be affected,
There were only three people who came forward to ask questions of the bylaw amendment.
Currently there is an application in for a grow-op and processing facility in the industrial park in Otter Point. The facility will not be a drive-to dispensary, any medical marijuana will be sent out to the customer. Everything is accountable to the government. The facility could employ up to 10 people and intensely strict security will be in place. Criminal record checks, security cameras monitoring everything and every square inch, intensive reports, safety features, types of clothing, etc. Every single scrap off the marijuana plants are accounted for as is the amount shipped from the facility.
Both bylaws will go before the CRD Board on July 23 for third reading.