Mayor Larry Jangula was looking to create a bylaw to ban production and sales of cannabis in Courtenay. He had hoped City staff would provide steps to consider for cannabis regulation when laws from senior governments have been enacted and communicated to the City.
But at its Aug. 7 meeting, council instead approved a simplified motion from Doug Hillian for a staff report with options to restrict the cultivation and production of cannabis on agricultural land in Courtenay.
Access to recreational cannabis will be legalized when Bill C-45, the federal Cannabis Act, comes into effect Oct. 17.
Coun. Erik Eriksson feels the impending law represents “a dramatic change” in Canada.
“It requires a new way of looking at it for people,” he said. “It was previously banned for various reasons. It’s not banned any more. This motion (from Jangula) wants to continue the ban on cannabis.”
Jangula fears that municipalities will be bearing the brunt of cannabis use, considering senior governments have not alerted local governments about administrative or policing costs. But his main concern is the effect of large cannabis operations on agricultural land. One such facility is being proposed at 3310 Fraser Rd., which he feels is too close to neighboring properties.
“There’s lots of agricultural farm land in the Comox Valley – some of it’s been farmed, some of it’s not,” Jangula said. “I would respectfully request that these type of facilities be located in more isolated, rural areas where they don’t affect the quality of life of people near them.”
Years back, council had adopted a bylaw restricting cannabis production in the city. However, the Ministry of Agriculture — after identifying cannabis production as an agricultural use that would be permitted on ALR (Agricultural Land Reserve) land — requested an amendment to the bylaw. Council then added a claus that exempted ALR land for federally licensed facilities, with a 30-metre minimum setback.
Also from Aug. 7:
•A few residents are concerned about traffic and density resulting from an apartment proposed at 911 Braidwood Rd. The owner intends to construct a five-storey building with 79 rental units. It includes 120 parking stalls.
“We are meeting the (parking) requirement,” Brett Giese said. “I don’t see us needing street parking.”
When asked about affordability, he said rents will be “middle of the road.”
•Due to paving on Highway 19 between Buckley Bay and Cook Creek, a company is hoping to reposition its cameras closer to the Comox Valley turnoff during filming of Sonic the Hedgehog. The company, Hedgehog Films, plans to shoot from Sept. 10-14 from about 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. The company has arranged a detour route onto Highway 19A.