Quesnel City Council has decided to pump the brakes when it comes to the number of retail cannabis stores it will allow in the city.
While Council isn’t permitted to put a moratorium policy in place on accepting new applications, it can be done through the zoning regulations.
Tanya Turner is the Director of Development Services…
“The zoning regulations may provide a total number of stores permitted in the city and as such it is a regulatory tool which can be used to deny applications from LCRB (Liquor Control and Regulation Branch). Currently there are no restrictions on the number of retail stores to be permitted in the community, and as such staff must base their acceptance or denial of a preliminary application notice from the LCRB on whether or not the location meets the requirements of the zoning bylaw.”
There was some concern around the Council table, from Gerald Runge and Ron Paull specifically about revisiting the decision at some point, especially if things change.
Mayor Bob Simpson made it clear on whether or not that could be done…
“The bottom line is we can change any bylaw that we create at any time. Some of it requires public hearing and some of it we just do ourselves.”
Council has five applications right now and construction is underway for three of those proposed retail stores.