Options for amending the City of Williams Lake Zoning bylaw to enable licensed cannabis retail outlets and licensed production/distribution facilities within the City were discussed and considered by Council at a committee of the whole meeting on Tuesday.
Mayor Walt Cobb says he does not want to see it in residential areas.
“Production for sure, but even the sale of it. It’s going to have to be in the commercial core and they’re going to have a business license.”
“So we’re trying to get the restrictions in place so that we don’t end up with a whole lot of them. You don’t want 4 in a block either,” he says.
Council agreed with Councillor Jason Ryll that establishments will have to be one kilometer apart.
They also agreed that all cannabis facilities will have to be at least 500 meters away from all schools and daycares.
In terms of production and distribution facilities Council agreed that there should not a be a specific size of land required permitting commercial marijuana distribution and production.
Preferred areas of the City that Council agreed on are in the industrial area on North Mackenzie Avenue and the airport lands.
“One of the things that we wanted to be sure is that we’re ahead of the game,” says Cobb.
“We want people to know that we’re open for business but if you’re going to do the operation there’s going to be some rules.”
The recommendations agreed by Council in principle Tuesday will be drafted into a bylaw within the next three weeks before it is taken to the public for feedback.