The City of Delta wants to make sure someone can’t open up a marijuana dispensary just anywhere.
The amendments in the city’s proposed new zoning bylaws including a prohibition of retail sales of medical and non-medical cannabis in all zones.
A recent staff report notes the city supports a public retail system where cannabis is sold through stand-alone government-operated stores and through an online ordering service. However, Delta does not support the private sale of cannabis and asked the province to ensure that local governments would continue to have regulatory oversight through the issuance of building permits and zoning.
“Consistent with Delta's previous request regarding zoning powers, Delta has received a legal opinion confirming Delta's authority in this regard and staff is taking steps to amend the zoning bylaw to prohibit private retail sales of cannabis anywhere in Delta,” the report notes.
The province this week announced details of its regulatory regime on recreational pot, including that it won't be sold in stores that also sell tobacco or booze. It means liquor stores won’t sell the product but it will be available online through the liquor distribution branch once the drug becomes legal this summer. B.C.'s liquor distribution branch would be the wholesale distributor of non-medical marijuana. The province also noted those over the age of 19 will be able to buy pot at government-run stores and licensed private retailers.
Delta, meanwhile, currently prohibits the production of medical marijuana in all zones, but applications are considered on a case-by-case basis with the goal of keeping them in industrial zones. Delta doesn’t have the ability to impose the same regulation in the ALR, however.
Village Farms in East Ladner has partnered with a company to start a massive medical and recreational pot grow operation at the greenhouse. They’ve submitted an application to the feds. Concerned there will be a proliferation of other grow ops on Delta’s farmland, the city wants the ability to restrict them to industrial zones. So far, there’s no indication Delta will be given that power.
