News

Kelowna gets first private cannabis store applications

Published on November 16, 2018 by David Wylie

The City of Kelowna has received its first applications from people interested in opening up the city’s first private cannabis outlet stores.

In early November, the city hadn’t received a single one. We wondered: Seriously, nobody? The Okanagan Valley is a perfect destination for high adventures.

Kelowna city planner Kimberly Brunet tells the oz. the City has now received several applications for rezoning to a retail cannabis sales zoning category.

She didn’t say how many applications the city has received so far, but added staff will be in a better position to comment on the total number of applications received after Nov. 30 when the first ‘intake’ closes.

We’ll know more in early December, when the next steps in the process start to roll.

Next steps

Before any applications are approved, a committee will evaluate the applications that meet the Zoning Bylaw requirements in January 2019.

“The first rezoning applications would likely not be considered by Council until spring 2019,” she says.

It will be one of the first issues all new B.C. municipal city councils will wrestle with in their new terms.

Recently, the District of Summerland finalized its policies and will hear from a private cannabis store applicant in December.

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Did you apply for rezoning? Get in touch with us for a profile on the oz.

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Our Nov. 21 newsletter has a rundown of where all Okanagan communities are in the process.