A staff report is recommending Port Moody council give preliminary approvals to three pot shop applications.
The report says council should grant first and second readings to zoning amendments required for the applications to operate cannabis retail stores in the city.
But it also recommends a fourth application be rejected because it’s too close to the city’s arts centre.
The applications will be considered at a special meeting of council to be held Tuesday at 4 p.m. at city hall. If they pass, they’ll go to a public hearing on Nov. 26.
Jess Daniels, Port Moody’s policy planner, said three applications meet all the city’s business licensing and bylaw requirements:
• Kiaro at 2816 St. Johns St.;
• Burb Cannabis at 1-101 Morrissey Rd. in Suter Brook Village;
• and Westcanna at 3034 St. Johns St.
But a fourth, by Purp City & CBD for 2506 St. Johns St., is within the 75-metre buffer zone the city has set around sensitive uses like schools, playgrounds and community centres. According to her report, the location is 61 m as the crow flies to the property line of the Port Moody Arts Centre.
But in its application to the city, Purp City, which is operated by Stellava Ventures Inc., said its proposed location is exactly 75 m walking distance to the arts centre and 90 m as the crow flies to the arts centre’s entrance on St. Andrews Street, and 97 m to its front door on St. Johns Street.
“It should be noted that our store cannot actually be seen from either of these entry points,” said Purp City’s submission, adding there are no playgrounds anywhere in the vicinity.
Last spring, Port Moody council determined it would consider a maximum of five locations for cannabis retail shops in the first 12 months after it adopted bylaw amendments to define those shops in May and it set a deadline of Sept. 30 for the first batch to be considered. That deadline was then extended to Oct. 15.
According to Daniels’ report, another seven applications are currently being considered by the province’s Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch and, if they pass muster there, won’t be brought forward to city council until sometime in the new year.
