Vancouver starts reviewing 176 applications for pot shops

The City of Vancouver will let 176 applicants for pot shops know within two months whether they need to close their businesses, or if they can proceed to the next stage to qualify for a licence.

The city introduced zoning and business licence regulations in June and gave applicants until Aug. 21 to apply for the new licences. Sixty-nineof the applicants could be licensedas compassion clubs, while the rest applied as retail businesses.

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Under the bylaw, Vancouverwill charge retail dealers a $30,000 licence fee the city's highest permit cost and prevent shops from operating within 300 metres of community centres, schools and other pot shops. Outlets with a compassion club designation will pay a $1,000 fee.

TheB.C. Compassion Club Society'sdispensary on Commercial Drive, which is one of the oldest medical dispensaries in North America,is one of the outlets that may need to move.

Good neighbours

Jamie Shaw, the society's spokeswoman, said the dispensary has been at its current location for 18 years and for 14 years it has had a school nearby.

"It would be nice if they made exceptions for those of us that have already proven good relationships with our neighbours," she said.

If the societyhad to move and face a rent increase, she says it couldput the non-profit group out of business altogether.

Asked about the number of applicants, Shaw says she thought 176 was low, but was happy to see 69 applicants for compassionate dispensaries.

Zoning requirements

Businesses that don't meet the first stage of zoning requirements will need to close within six months and may reapply with a new location that meets zoning requirements, the city said in a statement released on Friday.

Those that meet the requirements will proceedto two more stages in order to meet inspections and go through the city's standard development permit and business licence processes.

Business owners that didn't apply can register with the city to be notified when the next round of applications will be accepted.