The Regional District of Nanaimo is holding a public hearing on proposed bylaws that would accommodate new federal laws around growing medical marijuana.
The hearing — at Oceanside Place on Thursday night — will provide details on the proposed changes and solicit feedback from any local residents who feel they may be affected.
If adopted, two new bylaws will allow medical marijuana production facilities, licensed under the new Federal Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations on some specific types of land.
In electoral areas A, C, E (Nanoose Bay), G (French Creek) and H (Bowser), facilities would be allowed on land zoned for agriculture and within the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR).
In area F (Coombs, Errington) they would be allowed on land zoned agriculture (A-1) and industrial (I-2).
The bylaws would clarify that medical marijuana production is prohibited as a home based business, the facilities need to be federally licensed and 30 metre setbacks would be established.
Written submissions provided in advance must be received by 4:30 p.m. Thursday to be in the public record. The proposed bylaws and additional information is available at the RDN office at 6300 Hammond Bay Road, Nanaimo and at www.rdn.bc.ca/. Call the planning department at 1-877-607-4111 or e-mail planning@rdn.bc.ca.
The meeting is in the second floor multi-purpose room at Oceanside Place in Parksville's Wembley Mall at 7 p.m. Thursday.