PITT BYLAW TO PREVENT GROWING LEGAL POT

The City of Pitt Meadows is making sure people who grow medical
marijuana for others can't set up within its borders.

Council gave two readings to an amendment to its land use bylaw
Tuesday. The change prohibits growing the plant for medicinal use in
residential and agricultural zones.

The city is one of the first in Canada to use a municipal bylaw to
thwart an activity that's allowed under federal regulations.

"We don't have to just accept these," said Pitt Meadows director of
operations Kim Grout.

City staff know of one medical marijuana grow operation within its
residential boundaries and "there's speculation" that buildings are
being constructed in its agricultural zone for the same purpose.

Under existing zoning rules, growing marijuana for use by others is
not permitted in residential zones.

Grout said the city is now reinforcing and clarifying this prohibition
by preventing a grow-op from being classified as a home-based business.

They are also ensuring that medicinal marijuana grow-ops are excluded
as an agricultural use.

Growing medical pot for personal use will still be permitted in the
city.

"This is for commercial-type undertakings where someone is being paid
to grow for someone else," Grout explained.

"There is a concern with what potentially comes along with that type
of activity. In some instances, these licenses exceed what is permitted."

In Maple Ridge, police seized 1,744 pot plants from a medicinal
marijuana grow-op last month that was licensed to grow a maximum of
73.

"Our position is that, where we have some tools, we will attempt to
use them in the residential and agricultural area," Grout said.

Council wants the land use amendment forwarded to municipalities
across Canada so they can implement the same tool.

"If we all have the same bylaw, where are these poor folks going to
go?" said Mayor Don MacLean.

In Canada, there are 1,137 residents who hold a Personal Use
Production Licence, or Designated-Person Production Licence, from
Health Canada - a permit that allows you to grow legal pot.

Currently, 85 per cent of those authorized have 25 plants or
less.

A public hearing on the amendment is scheduled for July 20 at 7 p.m.