FRIDAY
S I N C E
JANUARY 24, 2014
1 8 9 5
Vol. 119, Issue 14
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PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF ROSSLAND, WARFIELD, TRAIL, MONTROSE, FRUITVALE & SALMO
It’s almost the weekend...
SPARKS FLY
Time to visit Maglio’s!
Hwy 22A 250.368.6466
Fred Behrens
250.368.1268 (cell) fbehrens@telus.net
All Pro Realty Ltd. Call me for a free market evaluation 250.368.5000 ex.31 GUY BERTRAND PHOTO
g the n i r u c e S nay Koote and ary Bound area
Ron Hallam of XL Quality Industrial Services gets sparks flying as he smooths out the rough edges of a repair job on the Victoria St. Bridge in Trail. Emcon and the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure were replacing old posts that support railings on the bridge.
Districts review medical pot rules New federal legislation in effect on April 1 BY SHERI REGNIER Times Staff
When the federal government rolls out new legislation SELKIRK SECURITY SERVICES that will end mom-and-pop pot farms and grow the med250-368-3103 ical marijuana industry into a commercially licensed busiAward Winning ness, local jurisdictions won’t Best Western Plus have much say in the matter if the plants are rooted in B.C.’s Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR). liquor store The current system of personal use licences and desig“freeze nated licences will be phased the beak out in a few months, and new off a federal licences geared to large penguin scale production and districold!” bution facilities will be established under Health Canada’s daily • 9am - 11pm Marijuana for Medical Purposes 1001 Rossland Ave. Regulation. in the Best Western Plus “Most of the lands that are Columbia River Hotel MP_adO3_Layout 1 13-10-04 6:20 AM Page 1 in the RDKB zoned agricultural
frosty’s
are within the ALR,” explained Mark Andison, general manager of operations for the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB). “Local governments are not permitted to prohibit “farm use” in the ALR through their zoning regulations.” Beginning April 1, medical marijuana production will be considered a farming crop, and along with related accessory uses such as the drying, processing and packaging of the product, permitted in the ALR. Locally, the Central Kootenay’s regional district was first on board to endorse the changes when its board passed a resolution last May, confirming medical pot operations would be allowed in areas zoned agricultural or fall within the ALR. But, according to Andison, no official resolution is required, because licensed medical pot production is permitted
by the province’s land statute under the Agricultural Land Commission Act, and local governments do not have any discretion to prohibit that use even if they wanted to. “There is no reason for the RDKB board to pass a resolution,” he said. “In the RDKB, medical marijuana production is permitted as a form of agriculture and in various agricultural zones within in the region.” However, part of the regional district’s ongoing review of its long range plans includes consulting with various rural communities to determine whether specific restrictions should be imposed upon this form of agriculture. Those restrictions may include regulatory provisions such as minimum setbacks from property lines, fencing requirements, or requiring production to move indoors. See TWO, Page 3
ROSSLAND
Carnival time in the Golden City BY ART HARRISON Times Staff
Although the thermometer says it's cold enough and the calendar indicates that this season is indeed “winter,” some who relish the time of year of frosty breezes and drifting powder may be hesitant to celebrate at this point in this somewhat snow-deficit year. But none of this discourages the organizers and fans of Rossland's venerable 117 year-old winter celebration. As far as they are concerned, carnival is on. “There are five keys to a successful Winter Carnival,” said Lisa Wegner, director of media for the Rossland Winter Carnival committee. “Sponsorship, volunteers, participants, spectators, and snow.” While corporate and community sponsorship for the celebration is at a healthy level and the participants and spectators have never presented a problem, Wegner says the volunteer base is a little thin this year. “We could really use more help in some See CITY, Page 3
If you’ve been searching for more, we’ve been waiting for you.
Snowbirds, relax. Our discretionary investment accounts provide peace of mind. www.mpwealthadvisory.com T: 250.368.3838
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