Nakusp council adopted an amended bylaw to allow more than one cannabis shop to operate in the village during a meeting on Oct. 12.
Village chief administrative officer Cheryl Martens said the decision has cleared a major hurdle for one resident trying to establish a second cannabis shop.
“We already have a rezoning application for a cannabis shop that will be heard by council during their next meeting,” said Martens.
“The person had just been waiting on the bylaw to go through before they could continue with their application.”
With no limit on the number of cannabis shop allowed to operate in Nakusp, Martens admits it will be hard to determine how many open up.
“It’s a lengthy and costly process for people to set up a store. We might get a whole handful of applications, but determining how many business owners will go through with the process is hard to say,” said Martens.
“Even if council decided to approve five cannabis shop applications, there’s only a certain demand for them in the village. These people need to evaluate that risk.”
To operate a cannabis shop, residents will have to apply for a business license with the village, complete a public hearing and get village council’s approval to operate it.
Residents can’t operate a cannabis shop within 300 metres of schools, daycares and playgrounds.
Mount Odin Cannabis is the first cannabis shop to operate in Nakusp at 312 Broadway St.
Across the West Kootenays, a report by Martens shows that Castlegar has five cannabis stores, Trail has four cannabis stores and Nelson has three cannabis stores.
READ MORE: Nakusp council to allow more than one cannabis shop in the community
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