Chatham-Kent is hoping to revise several zoning bylaws to keep up with new regulations for cannabis production facilities.
The proposed Official Plan Amendment would establish land use policies to support cannabis production facilities that are designated as an employment area, agricultural area or rural industry.
The amendment would also create a new definition for “cannabis production facility," classifying it as a "structure, or lands registered with, or licensed by, Health Canada to undertake cultivation, processing, sale, analytical testing, and research of cannabis, pursuant to the Cannabis Regulations under the Cannabis Act, or successor legislation.”
The new plan would require that construction of new facilities be subject to site plan approval and would restrict production facilities from being located within close proximity to any land used for residential or institutional purposes. It also ensures that facilities are located and designed in accordance with federal regulations and are cautious of light or air emissions as well as odours.
Chatham-Kent's current cannabis-related policy is contained for Marihuana for Medical Purpose Production. The policy was introduced in 2014 in response to the Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR) established by the Government of Canada the year prior.
The MMPR is no longer in effect and the municipality said that Chatham-Kent’s current land use policies for cannabis do not reflect current laws or industry trends. If the new plan is approved, the previous cannabis policy will be completely erased. The proposed policy framework for cannabis production facilities is similar to the previous one however, it now applies to all legal cannabis production including both medical and recreational.
The new plan would mean facilities would not require a site-specific zoning amendment. It would also allow facilities to be located on roadways that they were not previously permitted on including arterial, collector and local roads.
According to a report on the new policy, the objective of the proposed Official Plan Amendment is to support and promote a new industry as a cornerstone of economic development through diversification. It will go in front of council on Monday night.
