City of Revelstoke staff are recommending that the city study options for implementing commercial marijuana grow facilities in city limits.
In a recommendation set for discussion at Revelstoke City Council’s April 8 meeting, Manager of Development Services Dean Strachan is proposing studying options for Revelstoke.
As of April 1, federal medical marijuana rules changed, and consumers are now required to access marijuana through a licensed commercial producer. (The changes have since been held up in the courts.)
The proposed study would explore what other municipalities have done in reaction to the changes in the federal medical marijuana system.
“It’s … seeing what the pros and cons of different decisions that have been made already are,” Strachan told the Times Review. “Is it effective? Is it producing the result that particular council wanted? We know this issue is out there, we would like to investigate it further and come up with some recommendations for council.”
Strachan said the city has not received expressions of interest in setting up a commercial marijuana growing facility here.
Strachan said one area of study will be whether to locate the facilities in agricultural or commercial zones.
Federal rules for the commercial operations are fairly stringent, including many security requirements. Strachan said one benefit of locating in an industrial area is better security infrastructure.
The model is a warehouse-sized facility.
No particular direction is proposed now, but Strachan said the city will have to accommodate changes to federal legislation in city zoning rules.
“You have to accommodate for it somehow. It doesn’t say whether you have to accommodate for it in industrial lands, or … agricultural lands,” he said.