I Got a Reply From City Hall.

About What I Expected!

In a recent post to Canadian Mayors, I asked my Mayor Dianne Watts just how could I get a License to operate a personal or Designated Grow-op for Medical Marijuana from the City of Surrey. Mayor Watts acted on my request and I was delighted to get a copy of three relevant city Documents from R.J. (Rick) Bamford a Senior By-Law Enforcement Officer with the City. I very much appreciated the advisement that Surrey already had a process in place and I was provided with copies of two relevant Bylaws and an actual

Medical Marijuana Production License Application Form.

1. Controlled Substance Property Bylaw, 2006, No. 15820

http://www.surrey.ca/bylawsandcouncillibrary/BYL_reg_15820.pdf

2. Surrey Bylaw BYL_reg_17410

A by-law to license and regulate the cultivation and production of Medical Marijuana

http://www.surrey.ca/bylawsandcouncillibrary/BYL_reg_17410.pdf

I was delighted

Until I read them

I asked “How can I get a License to legally grow pot in Surrey?”

The answer!

You come up with a whole bunch of cash!

And

Comply with ridiculous requirements!

Taken together the three documents form an obvious attempt to block and prevent the personal and designated growth of Medical Marijuana in the municipality of Surrey.

Personal and Designated Growth is in the Marihuana Medical Access Program because they are both needed by the lower income recipients to which they are granted. They are sick people, mostly near the poverty line, and not a bunch of the overly intelligent Geek squad required to comply with the Prejudiced requirements of the Application. All in all there are 8 plans required along with 4 more additional for a Designated Grower.

1. Dimensional floor plan of Medical Marijuana Cultivation Facility (must be enclosed within a non-dwelling building.
2. Ventilation plan (must include how system prevents any offensive odour from leaving building)
3. Prevention of harmful mould growth plan
4. Remediation plan
5. Security and lighting plan (must include monitored alarm system)
6. Electrical, lighting & equipment plan including electrical distribution plan & demand load
7. Storage plan
8. Medical Marijuana disposal plan (must include how non-used plant material is disposed of)

On the assumption that the accompanying plans be professionally presented with draftsman quality and not pencil and ruler sketches.

Now comes the good part:

Controlled Substance Property Bylaw, 2006, No. 15820

SCHEDULE A

Fees and Service Costs

Fees

1. Special safety inspection, including initial property research, the posting of a notice of inspection and the initial inspection	$3,920.00
2. After the initial inspection, each additional inspection, per inspection	$643.00
3. For a subsequent inspection if the owner or occupier has failed to undertake an action by the Fire Chief, the Council or a person authorized under the bylaw to order the action	$643.00
4. Shutting off a water service	$117.00
5. Re-connecting a water service	$117.00
6. Re-inspecting and re-sealing a water service after alteration or tampering	$643.00
7. All applicable permit fees payable under applicable City bylaws.

Service Costs

The following service costs apply under this bylaw:

1. Item (a) in the definition of service costs – administration and overhead	$343.00
2. Items (b) through (i) in the definition of service costs	Actual cost to the City

PLEASE NOTE!

Medical Marihuana Production License will only be issued for non-dwelling buildings

that are situated within the following Agricultural or Horticultural permitted Zoning areas:

A1 – General Agriculture Zone                                              RA – One Acre Residential  **

A2 – Intensive Agriculture Zone                                            RH -  Half Acre Residential **

IA – Agro-Industrial Zone

** Property must be 2 hectares ( 5 acres)or larger before agricultural or horticultural use permitted

I think that by requiring $4300+ an Application form + 8 more detailed plans and refusing to allow growth in an occupied dwelling, Surrey is deliberately creating a deterrent to all growth of Medical Marijuana.

Adding the additional cost of the security and equipment to comply with all the requirements as well as the capital cost of purchasing and setting up a grow op in the first place.

I conclude Surrey doesn’t give a damn if any of their residents can’t afford to purchase their pot and want to grow their own legally as they are Licensed and entitled to do. They can’t afford to comply with City bylaws because the fees are exorbitant and if you have $4000+ bucks to spend, you can make a phone call and buy a year’s supply of good pot, delivered no charge to your doorstep.

So much for Surrey: I suspect most other cities across Canada will follow the same obstructive short sighted pattern of rigidity when it comes to Medical Marijuana.

Anybody offering odds on that?