A medical cannabis distribution centre hopes Prince George City Council will approve their application to open up business outside of the city’s approved zoning areas.
Applicant John Stiles will go before Council Sept. 28 with plans for his internet-based medical cannabis supply business. The operation would store cannabis and process it into prescription doses before distributing it by courier to patients.
Council will meet to discuss if a three-year temporary use permit should be approved in an area outside of cannabis zoning.
Planning staff have brought up conflicts they see arising if the application is approved.
“The addition of the courier vehicles associated with the medical marihuana distribution facility would create traffic conflicts (i.e. parking and loading) on the already deficient parking area,” the report stated. “The proposed use is not compatible with adjacent uses in the area which include retail, institutional, and residential uses.”
The proposed area includes building supply stores, the College of New Caledonia and the Salvation Army food bank and thrift store.
“Administration recommends that Council deny this Temporary Use Permit for the reasons outlined in this report,” the report suggested.
The applicants first proposed their distribution centre to council in March when the city approved zoning terms for cannabis businesses. Prince George permits government-licensed medical cannabis operations to operate on properties zoned as greenbelt, agriculture and forestry, light industrial, general industrial and business industrial. Businesses must have a minimum minimum parcel size of 15 hectares and be located one kilometre from residential and correctional service properties.
The applicant is still in the process of applying for a Health Canada license to become a medical cannabis producer.
The zoning proposal can be read on the City of Prince George City Council website.