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County allows micro cannabis operation to move forward

Barrett family received first reading on a land-use amendment to allow for a micro-cannabis production facility in the Aldersyde area.
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Foothills County has given first reading to a land use bylaw amendment to allow for a micro cannabis production facility in the Aldersyde area.

Foothills County may soon see its first micro-cannabis production facility.

Council gave first reading to a site-specific land-use bylaw amendment on the Barrett farmland near Aldersyde to allow for a medical-grade cannabis grow op.

The decision came after much debate from council on how best to handle applications for similar facilities.

“At some point we need to start dealing with these,” said Div. 7 Coun. RD McHugh.

He said there was potential in the current application to provide conditions that would allow the County to get the property cleaned up, as there are a number of unregistered vehicles and other equipment on the land.

Health Canada will regulate the facility, and with heavy filtration systems he said he doubts there will be much cause for complaint from odour or noise.

Coun. Alan Alger agreed, saying the location was a “great spot.”

“I think these are good people who are going to do this properly and I’d like to give them first reading so they can go ahead with the rest of what they’re doing,” said Alger.

His main concerns centred around ensuring the property had sufficient security to prevent a rash of crime on the land.

Coun. Robert Siewert was not in favour of allowing a site-specific amendment, as the business is not searchable on the land title for potential neighbours moving into the area.

“They would only find out after the fact, after they’ve bought a house, that they’re right next to a grow operation,” said Siewert. “To protect area landowners I think we need to be under direct control, not site specific amendment.”

The application came forward two weeks after County council opted to postpone its decision on a micro-cannabis production policy. Conversation then had focused on imposing setbacks and setting up the facilities as a discretionary use on certain land-use types.

Council had also discussed doing a site visit to a larger plant in Vulcan County prior to making its own policies.

Director of planning Heather Hemingway told council on Nov. 6 it needed to contemplate whether micro grow ops would be permitted on agriculture or country residential land uses.

“We really need to make sure we have strong policy in our land use bylaw that spoke to why we would approve these and what conditions we would impose,” said Hemingway. “If council is even interested in allowing this to go into agricultural parcels or country residential parcels, we haven’t made that decision yet.”

For Coun. Larry Spilak, it wasn’t the right time for decision-making on the Barrett application.

He said it would have been better to postpone first reading on the current application and have administration bring the conversation about policy back to council first.

“I don’t think council has done their job here,” said Spilak. “I think we should bring it back in and have a heart to heart about what we’re doing, otherwise this is all going to be an ad hoc story.

“I’d like to see us with some actual direction about what we’re going to do and then send that message out so we can have people apply knowing they’re in the right place at the right time, following the right policies.”

Further, he said allowing a site-specific amendment would send the clear message to everyone that it would be council’s direction for future cases as well.

Alger said he wanted first reading to go ahead so the property owners could move ahead with their plans. With first reading under their belts, they might be able to proceed with figuring out issues like security and clean-up, he said.

“To hold them up at this point while we’re waiting to make a decision on cannabis operations I think is unfair,” said Alger. “Give them first reading and let them progress a little bit and while they’re doing that we’ll progress a little bit.”

The motion came down to McHugh, who said council couldn’t continue to postpone decisions on these applications. The policy has been in the works for over a year and it’s time to take steps forward, he said.

“This is not an illegal activity anymore. This is going to happen,” said McHugh. “If they’re not doing it here…

“We’re getting so behind the current on this, I don’t know how much time we need.”

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