Duncan to Consider Two Cannabis Retail Stores
DUNCAN – On July 15, 2019 Duncan Council will consider two Temporary Use Permit (TUP) applications for the Retail Sale of Cannabis at 521 Canada Avenue and 130 Trans-Canada Highway, which are the first two of three applications that will be considered within the City of Duncan.
Each TUP can be issued for up to three years, after which time the applicant may reapply once for an extension of another three years. After six years, the applicant would need to apply to rezone the property permanently. Council may require specific conditions to these permits based on community input, Official Community Plan policies, or other information relevant to the use or the location.
“This is all new territory so the City has taken our time and been cautious, only considering three applications,” stated Mayor Staples. “The Temporary Use Permit process allows the City to put conditions in place to alleviate the possibility of negative consequences, provide an opportunity for community feedback, and allow us to review the suitability of the locations and the operations.”
When reviewing the TUP applications, Council will consider the cannabis retail location guiding principles that Council established in 2018 to guide decision making on how far away a cannabis retail store should be located from the other cannabis retail stores, schools, daycares, residential properties and parks. Due to the City’s small size, these distances were adopted as guiding principles, rather than regulations, to allow flexibility if necessary.
The security measures to be instituted by the applicants will form part of a separate agreement with the City for confidentiality reasons.
In the coming days, notice will be directly mailed to residents and property owners within 122 metres of the two proposed locations. External referrals have been provided to neighbouring jurisdictions and other government agencies for comment. Copies of the proposed TUPs – 521 Canada Avenue and 130 Trans-Canada Highway – are available for viewing at City Hall or can be downloaded here – . We encourage the public to sign up for notifications from the City’s website.
Both proponents are enthusiastic to be moving to this stage of the process and will be reaching out to the neighbourhoods to answer questions about their applications.
Key Facts
In 2018 Council approved the use of TUPs as a tool to consult the public in consideration of the retail sale of cannabis prior to authorizing a permit.
What are the Cannabis Retail Store Location Guiding Principles?
In 2018, Council adopted the guiding principle that retail sales of cannabis and cannabis related products not be located within:
- 400 metres of any other location where the retail sale of cannabis and cannabis related products has been authorized by the City or an adjacent jurisdiction;
- 300 metres of any school;
- 300 metres of any group daycare;
- 150 metres of Centennial Park, McAdam Park, Rotary Park, Charles Hoey Park, any adjacent municipal or regional park; and
- 50 metres of any land zoned Low Density Residential (LDR).
Due to the City’s small size, these distances were adopted as guiding principles, rather than regulations, to allow flexibility if necessary.
Will the public have input into locations or applications?
Any business seeking a cannabis retail licence from the Provincial Government requires a positive recommendation from the City. The public will have the opportunity to provide input on both the consideration of the temporary use permit application and the retail licensing application.
What can the City of Duncan regulate?
Most aspects of legalization are the responsibility of the Federal and Provincial governments; however, the City can regulate based on community input, Official Community Plan policies, or other information relevant to use and the location.
Where can I see the draft Permit and Application?
Copies of the draft TUP may be inspected at City Hall, Monday through Friday (except statutory holidays) between 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from July 2, 2019 to July 15, 2019. For convenience, the draft TUP will be posted on the city website. For more information please contact developmentservices@duncan.ca or call 250-746-6126.
Decision
Any person with interests affected by this permit, may attend and speak at the Council meeting at City Hall, 200 Craig Street, on Monday, July 15, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. Written submissions will also be accepted by email at duncan@duncan.ca or by mail to Duncan City Hall, 200 Craig Street, Duncan, BC, V9L 1W3, until 4:00 p.m., Wednesday, July 10, 2019, to ensure their inclusion in the public record.
