DELTA - Delta is moving to prohibit growing, storage and sale of medical marijuana within its boundaries.
Council has directed municipal staff to draft amendments to the Delta Zoning Bylaw to prohibit "all aspects" of that industry in Delta, including manufacturing and testing.Any business wishing to establish such operations in Delta will have to apply for site-specific zoning subject to council's approval.Delta already prohibits the production of medical marijuana in residential areas, Mayor Lois Jackson noted. This move, she added, is concerned with farmland."It's inappropriate to have medical marijuana grown on agricultural lands," Jackson said.She said the land should be reserved for growing food."We're very concerned about the safety all the way around," she added, "and the appropriatenessoflocations. We're being very cautious and conscientious what's happening for our residents and businesses.""Other municipalities, of course, are looking at the same question."Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts noted said her city is also reviewing the matter. "We've put some bylaws in place in terms of regulation and criteria," she said, adding that processes will be put into place to "make sure it's not a public safety issue."Surrey is not looking at prohibiting all aspects of the medical marijuana business like Delta is, though."We can't ban Health Canada from issuing a licence," Watts said.