Penticton property owners near proposed locations for cannabis stores should be receiving letters from the city planning department soon.
A map is also being finalized and signs similar to rezoning signs have been purchased to go public.
According to city planning manager Blake Laven, the letters will notify property owners that there is an application for a cannabis retail store in their vicinity and include a picture as well as the proposed name of the store.
The letters will kick off a two-week comment period for property owners and the general public to weigh in on whether or not each store should be approved.
Related: Cannabis stores allowed in downtown Penticton
Laven said 10 stores have been proposed for Penticton, including six in the downtown core. Those six cannot be approved as-is, he said, because “several of the stores are less than 300 metres away from each other,” which goes against the city’s rules.
“We’re going to be reviewing the applications and recommending which applications council should give support to and which ones they shouldn’t,” he said, adding that staff will make their recommendations based on a scoring matrix council adopted in December.
Staff considerations will include how close the proposed store is to a school, zoning, parking availability, branding, how well the storefront fits into the streetscape and their general impression of the viability of the business.
Related: High cost to setting up a retail cannabis store
“And then there’ll be a section on the comments we get from the public, so if they get strong public support, that will count in their favour,” Laven said. “But if there’s strong public opposition to that location, then that’s going to count against them.”
Laven said staff recommendations should go to council at the first or second meeting of April.
Ultimately, he added, it’s up to council and then the provincial government to decide.
Related: First recreational cannabis store in Okanagan has quiet opening near Lake Country
Asked about the timeline for provincial government decisions, Laven said it’s hard to tell.
“We just give our comments to the provincial government and then it’s up to them to finish their process,” he said. “It’s the provincial government that actually issues the licences. We just say whether or not we support a particular location.”
As of this week, the provincial cannabis licensing snapshot shows a total of 439 applicants have paid fees for a cannabis retail store licence.
Green Gaia Cannabis in Summerland was approved locally on Dec. 10 and is still waiting for its licence from the province.
karissa.gall@blackpress.ca
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