The city has begun accepting applications from dispensaries as of this morning, but licenses won’t be issued until rezoning for the location is completed, a process that will take six to eight months.
The city is allowing all dispensaries that were open before Jul. 28, 2016 to stay open while they apply for rezoning and licensing, but newer shops will have to wait to open their doors until they complete their rezoning application.
All dispensaries must immediately comply with the city’s new operational requirements for the shops, which include no consumption on the premises, limitations on advertising, business hours that begin at 7 a.m. at the earliest and 8 p.m. at the latest and 200 metre buffers from schools and other dispensaries.
Mayor Lisa Helps said when selecting which dispensary will receive a license when several are within 200 metres of one another, the first to complete their rezoning process is likely to be successful.
“It is a matter of which dispensary owner is organized and through the door most quickly,” said Helps.