Industrial pot a step closer

Photo: Colton Davies

Bob Daly, chair of the OK Falls Irrigation District, speaking at a public hearing on Thursday about industrial zoning bylaws related to cannabis production.

Board members with the Regional District Okanagan Similkameen passed third reading for allowing cannabis production to take place in industrial zones.

The vote on Thursday came after a packed public hearing earlier in the day. Directors Tom Siddon, George Bush and Elef Christensen were the only dissenting votes for third reading.

If adopted, the bylaw tweaks for Electoral Areas A, C, D, E and F would include allowing medical cannabis to be manufactured in industrial zones.

The remarks became largely centred around plans for a 740,000 square-foot greenhouse in OK Falls at the old Weyerhauser mill site, proposed by Sunniva Inc.

"I think for the community, this is nothing but good. That industrial spot has sat empty for far too long," Taylor Thompson said, an OK Falls resident who lives within viewing distance of the proposed site.

"If we don't go ahead and develop this land we'll be kicking ourselves, waiting for some sort of angelic proposal that just isn't going to come along."

Bob Daly, chair of the OK Falls Irrigation District, said he wasn't for or against the proposed OK Falls grow-op, but said the RDOS may need to consider the effect the facility could have on water supply. 

Several people on hand also urged the regional district to not rush their decision on adopting the industrial zoning bylaw changes. 

Area D director Tom Siddon was in arms about the pace he felt of decision-making for the bylaw amendments. Board members had passed first and second reading on Mar. 15, when Siddon and several regular board members were away.

Siddon was also concerned that in a public hearing that lasted roughly 25 minutes, Sunniva's chief operating officer Duncan Gordon was able to spend close to 10 minutes presenting a formal slideshow for his company's greenhouse plans in OK Falls.

Many board members, however, maintained a stance that medical cannabis greenhouses are better off in industrial areas instead of agricultural zones — the only zones within the RDOS where those facilities are currently allowed. 

Area F director Michael Brydon said "we need to move quickly to protect ALR land," adding that his impression is developers would rather build on industrial land where there's often easier access to utilities.

RDOS development services manager Brad Dollevoet said staff will be recommending the board to adopt the bylaw amendments at the April 19 meeting.