DIDSBURY — Council has given first reading to a bylaw that would add cannabis production to the land use bylaw as a discretionary use in a direct control district industrial.
The move came by way of motion at the recent regularly scheduled council meeting, held by teleconference. Council also set the public hearing date for the bylaw.
A direct control district provides for developments that due to unique characteristics, innovative ideas or unusual site constraints, and/or requires specific regulations, are unavailable in other districts.
A portion of the bylaw reads: “The purpose and intent of this district is to provide for quality industrial and commercial uses that carry out their operations such that no nuisance is created and such that district is compatible with adjacent non-residential and non-commercial districts.”
All developments in a direct control district are at the discretion of council, as opposed to municipal planning commission consideration.
The bylaw defines cannabis production as a “federally licensed facility, comprised of one or more buildings or structures used for the purpose of cultivation, processing, packaging, testing, destroying or shipping of licensed cannabis products.
“A cannabis production facility may consist of some, or all, of the following components: greenhouses, warehouses, laboratories, processing facilities, administrative offices and shipping facilities but does not include onside retail sales of cannabis products or any derivatives thereof.
“All activities associated with growing, processing or shipping functions shall be located inside fully enclosed buildings.”
Council passed a motion setting a special council meeting on July 21 for the proposed bylaw's public hearing.
