A proposed cannabis growing facility east of Pineview is headed to a public hearing, following a vote by the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George board of directors.
The owners of 10495 Horseshoe Dr. have applied to the district to rezone their 4.48-hectare (11 acre) property to allow an existing 550 sq. metre barn on the property to be converted to produce cannabis. Under the regional district’s zoning laws, cannabis production is normally only allowed on properties 259 ha. (640 acres) in size or larger.
“I’d like to see the residents of the area have a say on this,” district director Bill Empey said. Empey represents Electoral Area D, Tabor Lake-Stone Creek, where the property is located.
Empey requested that the public hearing be scheduled at the Pineview Community Hall, if possible, under current provincial COVID-19 guidelines, but “wherever we can get together will be OK.”
The public hearing had not been scheduled yet.
If following the public hearing the board approves the rezoning, the owners plan to apply for a craft cannabis micro-cultivation license, according to a report that went to the district board. Under a micro-cultivation license, the owners would be restricted to using no more than 200 sq. metres of the barn or land for cannabis growing.
“However, the bylaw amendment would not restrict the applicants to a specific type of license class for cultivation or processing (micro and standard) from Health Canada,” the report said. “During the referral process, Regional District of Fraser-Fort George Building Inspection noted that if the zoning bylaw amendment is approved, the applicants would be required to obtain building permits to change the occupancy of the existing barn.”
The barn the applicants propose to use is located in the centre of the property, at least 60 m away from each property line – which meets the minimum setback requirements set out in the regional district’s zoning bylaws.
Any wastewater or sewage produced by the growing operation would need to be disposed of in an adequate wastewater treatment system, the report added. And if a new sewage system is needed, it would have to be approved by a registered professional.
