By David F. Rooney
Remember the good ol’ days when growing a marijuana plant could get you arrested? Well, that’s still the case if you like recreational pot, but the City is attempting to come to grips with the possibility that some day, somehow someone will want to build a legal dope-growing facility in Revelstoke.
Chances are excellent that recreational weed won’t be legalized anytime in the near future, no matter how profitable lawful reefer might be in Washington and Colorado. But if you have the bucks, the plans and a federal license you can build a facility to grow medical mary jane.
Local officials have already been contacted by a few tire-kickers sounding out Revelstoke as a likely location for a legal grow op.
Nothing has come from those inquiries, but now Council has asked staff prepare a bylaw to amend Zoning Bylaw No. 1264 to add a definition for Medical Marihuana Production facility add parking requirements for the use and add the use to the M1– Light Industrial Zoning District
Development Services Manager Dean Strachan told Acting Mayor Linda Nixon and Council on Tuesday, March 10, that a three-story plant is proposed for Lumby. That industrial facility is projected to produce 7.5 million grams of legal yerba buena each year and provide a number of stable, high-paying jobs.
“By allowing this use in M1– Light Industrial District only, potential medical marihuana production facilities would only be permitted to apply to Health Canada for licensing for parcels with this zoning,” Strachan said.
“In addition to the requirements of Health Canada for licensing the construction of a new facility would require a Development Permit, Building Permit and Business License. If a facility was looking at converting an existing building a Development Permit may be required, a Building Permit would likely be required and a Business License would be required.”
So far no Prince of Pot has come calling at City Hall with a serious and viable proposal, but if — some day — that does happen we might have to start rethinking the true meaning of the phrase, Rocky Mountain High.
Please click here to read Dean Strachan’s report to Council.
Please click here to learn more about medical marijuana in Canada.
Please activate the YouTube viewer below to watch the March 10 City Council meeting. Strachan begins his presentation on this issue at the 39-minute mark:
