The owner of Smoke on the Water Smoke Shop on Cliffe Avenue intends to improve venting and security at the premises if granted a licence to open a cannabis retail outlet next door. But a neighboring business owner worries that the smell of marijuana and other existing issues related to smoke shop customers will increase.
Mathias Dimter, owner of units 201 and 202 at 1025 Cliffe Ave., has had to shoo people away who have been smoking within five feet of the building. Others have urinated on sidewalks and in the stairwell.
“I’ve never seen the steps being taken by the owners (of Smoke on the Water) to take care of those issues,” Dimter said Tuesday at a public hearing at Courtenay council. He serves as the strata manager of the building, which includes Level 10 Eurospa, Fitness Etc. and Freedom 55 Financial.
“We’ve taken steps over the last many years to stop a lot of that from happening. They’re very receptive, they’re very respectful, but at the same time we know where the clientele comes from, so our biggest concern is that may increase…The biggest thing for us is the integrity and value of the building, and the businesses that reside in that building.”
Jin Jeon opened Smoke on the Water Smoke Shop in 2011, and later added outlets in Campbell River and Powell River. She decided to branch out because of the number of inquiries about cannabinoid products. If her application goes through, the store will be called Fire in the Sky Cannabis.
“I tried to be a good neighbour,” said Jeon, who has received no security complaints at the three Smoke on the Water locations. Nevertheless, a security camera and carbon filters will be installed at her new store.
“It’s been a long process, and a lot of time and expense,” Jeon said.
Dimter hopes that promises made for a full-time security guard will be honoured, and that new cameras will envelope the entire building.
“I’m not opposed to it happening, I just want to make sure that it’s in everyone’s best interest, and that we’re not going to have to deal with more issues than we’re already dealing with,” Dimter said.
Up to five private cannabis retailers are allowed in Courtenay, along with one government-operated store. So far, council has approved applications for retailers at Driftwood Mall and 5th Street, and a government store at Washington Park Shopping Mall. Another retailer proposing a store at 2270 Cliffe Ave. has received second reading, with a public hearing slated for July 15.
At Tuesday’s meeting, council approved second reading of an application from Beaufort Botanicals for a store at the corner of England and Sixth in the downtown core. A public hearing will be held at 5 p.m. Aug. 19 in council chambers.