OVERVIEW

For any LCRB liquor licence application, including amendments to an existing license, that require "Confirmation of Receipt of Application" by the RDOS, the Regional District requires submission of the LCRB application form and supporting documentation as well as an application fee of $100.00.

Supporting documents include, but are not limited to:

• Floor plans indicating the size of any proposed tasting, lounge, patio, or special events areas;
• Site plans indicating the location of the proposed use on the subject property; and,
• Proposed hours of operation

The application will be evaluated for compliance with the permitted uses listed in the zoning applied to the property under application in the applicable Regional District zoning bylaw.

If your property is located within the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), it is recommended that you contact the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) prior to submitting your LCRB liquor license application to ensure that your proposal is consistent with the ALR Use Regulation. If your proposal is not consistent with the ALC’s regulations, you will need to provide proof of ALC approval of a Non-Farm Use application as part of your LCRB application.

If an application complies with the zoning and is consistent with the ALC’s regulations (if the property is within the ALR), the LCRB application will be endorsed and the Regional District will advise the LCRB that it will not be proving comment on the application.

OVERVIEW

The Regional District considers the retail sale of cannabis to be a “retail” use, as defined by the applicable Electoral Area zoning bylaw, and permitted in any zone in which “retail” is listed as a principle permitted use (e.g. General Commercial (C1) Zone).

Anyone considering applying for a cannabis retail store licence is encouraged to review the zoning of a property and discuss with Regional District planning staff before submitting an application to the provincial Liquor and Cannabis Regulations Branch (LCRB).

MAKING APPLICATION

Applications for a cannabis retail store licence within an Electoral Area of the Regional District must be submitted to the LCRB. Please refer to the LCRB website for more details regarding this aspect of the application process:  https://justice.gov.bc.ca/cannabislicensing/

RDOS PROCEDURES

Upon receipt of a complete application, the LCRB will refer a proposal to the Regional District for consideration.  The LCRB requires that the Regional District pass a resolution in support of an application before it will consider whether to issue a licence.

Prior to Board consideration of an application, the Regional District requires the submission of an application fee of $1,000.00.  Upon payment of the application fee, Regional District staff will evaluate a proposal with relevant Regional District bylaws and policies.

1. written notice mailed to property owners and tenants of land within a radius not less than 100 metres of the boundaries of the subject property;

2. posting of application information on the Regional District’s web-site and social media accounts;

3. advertising in at least two (2) consecutive issues of an appropriate print newspaper and once on an internet news media site with a focus on local matters;

4. requiring the applicant erect a Notice of Development Sign, in accordance with requirements outlined in Section 5.3 and Schedule ‘1’ of the Development Procedures Bylaw No. 2500, 2011, on the property under application; and

5. referring the application to the applicable Advisory Planning Commission (APC) for a recommendation.

All written comments received from the public will then be incorporated into a technical report to be forwarded to the Board for consideration.

Prohibited by zoning

Where an application involves the use of land in which “retail” sales are not listed as a permitted use in the applicable zone, a technical report will be forwarded to the Board for consideration prior to any public notification of the application.

RDOS BOARD CONSIDERATION

The Board will consider the technical report and may deny, support or defer making a recommendation.  Should a recommendation to deny or support be passed, this decision will be forwarded to the LCRB, along with any documentation, and the LCRB makes the final decision on an application.