CCDA wants bylaws enforced with legal pot

By Collin Gallant on August 30, 2018.

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com @CollinGallant

A wave of new cannabis shops could provide a boost to the downtown rental market, but some other business owners are quietly concerned about as many as five opening up in the city centre.

Marijuana will be legal for adult use in October, and after a busy summer to set up local rules for the emergent industry, four locations are already approved within a two-block radius downtown.

CCDA chair Jeremy Silver’s own cellphone repair business is located across a mid-block crosswalk from one location.

He says the City Centre Development Agency board hasn’t discussed the issue, but will likely formally ask Medicine Hat bylaw officers to strictly enforce public use laws.

“We’ve found out pretty much the same time the general public did about the locations,” said Silver. “We’ve talked about what it might look like … and we’d like to see definite enforcement of bylaws against smoking near retail entrances of downtown business owners.”

City council signalled this month that updates expected next month to cover public marijuana use would likely mimic tobacco restrictions, and a five-metre rule from doorways.

However, it’s not uncommon to see someone walking down the street smoking a cigarette.

During council discussions last week, a solid majority of members objected to including a sidewalk ban, saying it would be too hard to enforce.

As for downtown, public complaints over the years have focused on empty store fronts.

Meanwhile, retailers decried a lack of foot traffic in the area, hurt by a reputation as a home to tattoo parlors, bars and other businesses with clientele that loiter and discourage other shoppers.

Several business owners who spoke with the News this week say they are generally concerned, but would need to see how the industry plays out before offering an opinion.

Several others said they would welcome activity in the core.

Silver, himself, said operators of cannabis retail locations in the revitalization zone automatically become CCDA members, who need to be represented as well.

“We’ll monitor it and make sure it doesn’t impact downtown business owners,” said Silver.

Last week the municipal planning commission approved eight applications to set up stores to sell marijuana for recreational use, including those at 543 Third St., 643 Third St., 547 Second St. and 328 S. Railway.

Work is also going forward to convert a long vacant bay in a strip mall across from city hall, and planners say a second batch of permit applications will be heard at the mid-September planning commission meeting.

Two others are located in the southwest industrial area, one further east on S. Railway Street, and others, likely in major commercial areas, are expected next month.

The city passed a zoning bylaw in late July which included minimum separation distances from schools and health and child-care facilities in several commercial corridors in the city.

Planners say the map itself — which goes block by block in the downtown core and elsewhere — was drawn to avoid conflicts with residential property owners and other uses deemed sensitive.

There is however, no separation distance required from liquor stores or payday loan operators — typical in some cities’ regulations for liquor stores — or from other cannabis retailers.

Under the city’s process, successful applicants can now apply for development permits and then building permits to do work required by provincial regulators in their licensing process.

They can also apply for temporary business licences that are conditional on obtaining an Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission licence to sell cannabis.

Those bylaw changes are expected to be brought forward in September.

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