The proposed micro cannabis processing facility looking to set up shop in downtown Markdale has received the green light from council.
“Cannabis production, cultivation and processing is legal business. So, it comes down to the light-industrial use classification,” said councilor Cathy Little, during a virtual committee of the whole meeting held yesterday.
In a split 5-2 vote, the municipality of Grey Highlands council voted in favour of classifying the site application from Matchbox Organics as light industrial, which will allow the application to proceed at the proposed location.
Matchbox Organics applied for a site plan application earlier this year to develop an organic micro cannabis cultivation and processing facility at 31 Walker Street in Markdale.
A public meeting held March 10 saw a heavy turnout with overflow seating required in council chambers.
“During the public meeting, there was a lot of discussion about the impacts on the neighbouring properties. One of the primary impacts was odour, as well as the visual impacts of the building itself,” said Grey Highlands director of planning, Michael Benner.
Public commentary at the meeting was split both in favour of and opposed to the application.
Members of the public voiced their concerns about the site's proximity to a school, playground, community centre and library.
While others declared that the municipality should not be turning away any new business, regardless of the industry.
After discussing the application and public comments at length, council members determined the decision required was whether or not a cannabis processing facility should be considered as a light-industrial operation, as per the site’s zoning bylaw.
“Our existing zoning bylaw was adopted by council on Oct. 24, 2005, and at that time cannabis was not legal and there is no mention of it in the zoning bylaw,” said Coun. Paul Allen. “Council needs to decide whether a cannabis production facility fits into the light-industrial zone, which allows it to be located in the C1 zone, meaning that it would be allowed anywhere in our downtown area.”
While there was discussion around investigating and establishing a cannabis policy for the municipality, at this time council decided to focus on this specific application and town’s zoning bylaws.
“I don’t think it is the ideal location but I also feel that the impact on the surrounding neighbourhood will be minimal,” said Little. “I believe the appearance of the building and the site itself will be improved. It will be something more visually appealing than what is there now.”
With a motion on the floor, all council members, except for Mayor McQueen and Coun. Allen, voted in favour of permitting the cannabis processing facility as light industrial and allowing the application to proceed at the Walker Street location.
“I am not against this facility,” said Allen. “The big issue, and I think we can all agree, is the location of it.”
Council then directed staff to investigate what monitoring programs the facility will be required to fulfil by other government bodies and to establish a list of concerns that will need to be included in a site control plan.
“Questions around how this will be monitored, how the systems will be maintained, how emissions will be measured, recorded and communicated to the municipality and how will the owners deal with complaints? What is the protocol? I would be satisfied if within the site plan agreement it would include many of those details,” said Little.
Once the council has reviewed the list of site plan control factors, the department of planning will create an expanded draft site plan agreement that will outline all of the municipality’s requirements.
“I think moving forward we can look at tightening up the site plan agreement, providing more specificity, especially when it comes to odour control,” said Benner. “Also, through this whole review, we can ask the applicant for more information on all of the matters raised and with the odour and air pollution components, once we have that information in hand, we can have that peer-reviewed by an engineering consultant.”
Moving forward, this decision from the May 7 committee of the whole meeting will be brought forward for council’s consideration on May 20.
Pending council approval, staff will bring back a report that will outline the site control plan and indicate all the requirements Matchbox Organics will be required to fulfil for the municipality.
“There are municipal oversights that can be put into place and I think this is achievable if council takes the appropriate oversight and builds into the site plan agreement the conditions that we would need to see to ensure this proposal meets the standards that they are assuring us will happen to eradicate impact on the surrounding area, particularly from odour,” added Little.
