A city policy for cannabis retail sales in Salmon Arm comes to municipal council Monday.
The Cannabis Retail Stores policy, when adopted, will serve as a guide to council, staff and cannabis retailers on how cannabis retail licence referrals are evaluated, as well as outline procedures for related business licence applications. It is expected to be on the agenda of the Aug. 27 council meeting.
Mayor and council had an opportunity to look at and discuss the policy at the city’s development and planning meeting Monday, Aug. 20.
City development and planning director Kevin Pearson explained the policy takes a moderate approach to regulation, requiring no amendments to the city’s zoning bylaw, but establishes limitations in terms of location. For example, the policy discourages a cannabis retail sales outlet being located within 500 metres of a school.
The policy also identifies a downtown core commercial area, and recommends no more than four cannabis retail outlets be located within.
Related: Salmon Arm on board with retail cannabis
In addition, the policy recommends cannabis retail stores not be located in a building that also contains residential units, noting odour from unpackaged cannabis may or may not infiltrate building walls and air circulation systems.
Pearson stressed that ultimately, it will be up to council to decide if it supports an cannabis retail business application and its proposed location.
“With all these location criteria, at the end of the day, and despite the zoning of the property, council still has to make a decision whether to support a store or not,” said Pearson.
Explaining the application process, Pearson said all applications for a cannabis retail business would be initiated with the B.C. government via Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch. From there, applications are referred to the municipality involved.
“When the city receives an application, it’s very similar to when we receive a liquor licensing application, the difference is there will be a public process involved, similar to… a temporary use permit because there will be an ad in the newspaper… and all properties within 30 metres of the proposed retail outlet will receive notification of a hearing date,” explained Pearson.
Related: CSRD adopts cannabis policy
The policy also speaks to business licensing fees, recommending that the annual business licence fee of $200 to $400 (depending on floor area) be applicable, as well as an additional $1,000 non-refundable surcharge that would cover related city expenses including staff time and advertising.
“And we really should have something similar to this for liquor licences but we don’t right now,” Pearson added.
The proposed policy stems from a public consultation process, that included a well-attended form-style meeting in April, as well as input from council.
Following their initial look at the policy, council had more input.
Coun. Kevin Flynn questioned the need for a cap of four cannabis retail outlets in the defined downtown core and no rules outside that boundary.
Coun. Alan Harrison said he supported the core cap, noting the policy location criteria negates the need to have any minimum distances between stores.
Related: In a haze: Cannabis impairment still unclear for drivers in B.C.
At the suggestion of Coun. Tim Lavery, Pearson agreed to amend the policy so that it specifically states it does not apply to cannabis sold as medicinal.
Asked about current businesses selling cannabis products for medicinal use, Pearson said he would be leaving that up to the provincial government.
“They’re the primary licensing agency involved with this,” said Pearson. “It would be like somebody opening up a liquor store that’s not licensed by the province. It wouldn’t be the city dealing with the enforcing of that.”
Federal regulation states storefront operations selling marijuana, “commonly known as ‘dispensaries’ or ‘compassion clubs,’ are not authorized to sell cannabis for medical or any other purposes. The federal government states these operations are illegally supplied, and provide products that are unregulated, selling product that “may be unsafe,” and are subject to law enforcement action.
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