By James Peters

Variance denied for proposed downtown Kamloops cannabis retailer

Feb 26, 2019 | 2:09 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops council has denied a development variance permit for a prospective cannabis retailer hoping to set up shop downtown.

Green Tec Retail Ventures had hoped to set up a retail cannabis business at 234 Victoria Street, not far from Kelly O’Bryan’s Restaurant.

But the proposed location is only 94 metres from another retail license already approved, at 240 Lansdowne Street to the north.

That’s six metres less than the 100-metre-minimum buffer zone between retail shops set forward by council in 2018.

While six metres may not seem like much, Councillor Bill Sarai said he didn’t want to meddle with a separation distance he already feels is tight.

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“They’re going to 94 metres, and then if we approve it, there will be another [applicant] coming in a month saying, ‘You did 94; why can’t you do 92?’ And then, ‘You did 92, why can’t you do 90?’” said Sarai. “When past council was looking at 300 metres (between stores) to 150, I thought that would be a good fit. Then we went to 100.”

Meantime, earlier in the meeting, council granted its approval to a retail cannabis store at 231 Fourth Avenue.