Crop or drug: Marijuana facility zoning in King depends on it

YorkRegion.com
Oct. 18, 2016
Tim Kelly

A lively discussion over whether marijuana is a crop or a drug punctuated pot talks at Monday's Township council meeting.

When the smoke cleared, it seemed "farmer councillor" Avia Eek had it all over "city slicker" Mayor Steve Pellegrini when it came to defining pot: seems it's more crop than drug.

The two were debating the issue because the township is being proactive in anticipation of any application it receives for a medical marijuana facility within the township limits. The question for councillors to debate centred around proper zoning for such federally regulated facilities.

Do they belong in industrial sites as Mayor Pellegrini suggested Monday night? Or are they no different than any other hydroponically-grown crop, as Councillor Eek said? Eek, who grows onions and carrots on her family farm in Holland Marsh, has first-hand knowledge of the field -- not marijuana, but agriculture.

That's the issue when it comes to the zoning. King Township staff is suggesting such facilities do not belong on first-class farmland, such as the Holland Marsh, but on second-class agricultural land.

The mayor, who described viewing medical marijuana growing businesses and likened them to large buildings that look more like industrial facilities that use industrial-type water and energy, pushed for zoning them industrial.

But Eek, whose argument was in agreement with staff, said the facilities use water and energy just like other hydroponic, greenhouse agriculture operations and belong in agriculture-zoned areas.

The conclusion of the public meeting was that staff took council's comments and will prepare a bylaw for future consideration.