The District of North Vancouver staff is advising council to reject an application for a cannabis store that is being proposed in the Dollarton Village Shopping Plaza.
The proponent, Rebecca Hardin, has applied to open a cannabis store at 385 North Dollarton Highway in the Dollarton Village Shopping Plaza.
The proposed cannabis retail store, Muse, is to be located in a ground floor retail space in a two-storey building located at the south end of the Dollarton Village Shopping Centre.
Staff is suggesting council reject the application because of negative feedback the district has received from community members.
“As the property is outside of a key growth centre and the proposal has attracted significant negative comment from nearby residents, staff recommends that the application be rejected,” says a staff report which will be presented at the regular council meeting on December 3.
Council can, however, override the suggestion and grant the bylaw first reading and send it to the public hearing.
Before it issues a cannabis retail store licence, the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB) requires confirmation of a positive recommendation from the District of North Vancouver.
After reviewing the proposal against the District’s Non-medical Retail Cannabis Policy, staff has concluded it doesn’t comply with the policy as its location is outside an OCP key growth centre.
District of North Vancouver delivered 197 notices and received 50 comments, of which 47 were opposed, two were in support, and one was a mixed response with questions and concerns.
DNV staff also received a petition in support with 105 signature, while petitions opposing the project received 140 signatures.
“Significant concern has been raised by nearby neighbours regarding the addition of a cannabis retail store within this primarily single-family residential neighbourhood, particularly due to the proximity to Sherwood Park Elementary School,” staff told council.
If council ignores staff advice, the District will forward to the LCRB an indication of council’s support for a cannabis retail store licence in the Dollarton plaza.
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