Two parcels of land have been successfully rezoned to accommodate the expansion of a medical marijuana facility development in the southwest part of Olds.
After a public hearing and subsequent vote at last week's town council meeting (April 10), two 10-acre lots owned by Sundial Growers Inc. have been redesignated from Light lndustrial to Direct Control 7, the district specific to the use and development of medical marijuana operations.
In addition to the two rezoned lots, Sundial Growers also owns an adjacent 10-acre lot to the north, and have plans to consolidate all three into a single 30-acre parcel. The lots are located just west of the town's cemetery, in a new industrial subdivision.
Stan Swiatek, CEO of Sundial Growers, said the move is an essential part to maintaining market share, which he said will sit at about five per cent with the expansion.
He said the next step will be to obtain a building permit and to begin work on their first facility. He is hoping both of those things will happen this year.
As with a motion earlier this month, which opened this redesignation up for public hearing, no one appeared to speak in opposition of the land amendment bylaw. Swiatek attributes that to being transparent in the process.
"We're very open, we educate people, there's no hidden agenda on our part," he said. "So, I think that's probably why we don't get a lot of resistance."
Carey Keleman, development officer for the Town of Olds agreed, saying part of the reason the town pursued the direct control district zoning was because it involved the public hearing which gave people the opportunity to comment.
"When development permits go through - as medical marijuana facilities have in the past had controversy in other municipalities - (the town) wanted to be as transparent as possible," said Keleman, "and this was the best way to go about achieving that."
Given few comments or concerns when advertising the development permit for the original lot, she said she doesn't expect much opposition as the expansion project moves forward either.
Swiatek said he's grateful to the town for taking the time to work with Sundial Growers, and in return, he reciprocates with full transparency.
"It's been quite a smooth transition," he said, "which I can't say for a lot of other parts of the country."
For more information on Sundial Growers, go online to http://sundialgrowers.com/
"We're very open, we educate people, there's no hidden agenda on our part. So I think that's probably why we don't get a lot of resistance."STAN SWIATEKCEOSUNDIAL GROWERS
