By Justine Kelsie

Public input helped shape marijuana related bylaw: County Planner

Jun 14, 2018 | 1:28 PM

The County of Grande Prairie has started to make some decisions regarding marijuana.
 
At a council meeting this week, bylaw amendments were approved regarding production and distribution as well as cannabis retail sales.
 
County Planner Baily Lapp says they looked to the responses from a public consultation survey to form the changes. There were 1,852 completed submissions which outlined proposed changes to the Land Use Bylaw.
 
“The topic itself is a hot topic. I think it drew people into doing the survey. I think people are interested in completing a survey about cannabis and having input on what the final results are on the county’s policy,” said Lapp.
 
Changes to the bylaw include certain commercial areas set aside for cannabis retail and certain industrial areas for production or distribution facilities. These two types of buildings would also have to be a minimum distance of 500-metres from schools, recreational areas, and provincial health care facilities.
 
Cannabis retail stores also have to be 100-metres apart and that same distance away from liquor stores.
 
“It was crucial for the Land Use Bylaw update regarding cannabis that we receive so much input from the public. It helped us develop our policies and shape the direction we went with them,” said the planner.
 
All cannabis related bylaws will not go into effect until the legalization of marijuana later this summer across Canada.