Burns Lake residents will soon be able to voice their thoughts on the growing and harvesting of cannabis in residential areas.
As part of a bid to amend local OCP Bylaw 970 2017 and zoning bylaw 880 2008, the Village of Burns Lake is considering the possibility that cannabis could be grown in the Rural Residential 1 (RR1) and Urban Reserve (UR) zones, CAO Sheryl Worthing explained at a council meeting on Jan. 8.
Most of the RR1 areas lie around the Tahtsa Timber mill yard, down to Burns Lake and south of Highway 16. A smaller portion is just east of the Richmond Loop.
The UR zone is north of Highway 16 and east of the Blue Spruce Mobile Home Park and goes north up to Third Avenue.
By law, agriculture is permitted in those zones, and with the legalization of recreational cannabis last October, it is possible someone could purchase those zones and grow cannabis on them.
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“Once cannabis became legal it could be interpreted that growing and harvesting would be permitted,” Worthing said.
Before last October, the bylaw allowed for medical cannabis to be grown in the zones, but the amendment effort seeks to remove “medical” from the bylaw description - now that recreational cannabis is legal - for easier interpretation.
Worthing added that it would be preferred if cannabis was grown in the M2 Heavy Industrial zones on Roumieu Drive - south of Highway 16 - and at the Moe Road plot - the site of the former Burns Lake Specialty Woods (BSW) building near Decker Lake - rather than in residential areas.
A similar bylaw amendment was passed almost a year ago by the council that allowed the growing of medical cannabis in heavy industrial areas.
That move was in response to the proposed medical cannabis facility of Nations Cannabis, which aims to set up a licensed growing operation at the BSW site.
The amendment passed but not without some dispute, and several residents voiced disapproval of the proposal at a crowded public hearing last March.
READ MORE: Burns Lake bylaw clears way for medical pot facility
Residents will get to express their opinions on the latest bylaw amendment at a public consutlation session scheduled for February.
Letters on the issue will also be sent out to local First Nations, Lakes District Secondary School, the RCMP and the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako.