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E N T E R T A I N M E N T abbotsfordtimes.com
Mission moving to halt medical grow-ops CHRISTINA TOTH CToth@abbotsfordtimes.com
M
ission hopes to nip potential commercial medical marijuana enterprises in the bud with a bylaw that will essentially ban such facilities in its jurisdiction. But there may remain some provisions to allow some grow-ops, providing they meet the district’s criteria. “We will ban medical marijuana municipality-wide,” said Mayor Ted Adlem. “However, we will look at site-specific proposals. We will spot zone, [but] only if it makes sense for the community. But there is no possibility to tolerate them in residential areas.” Commercial grow-ops could be on farmland, and the Agricultural Land Commission has confirmed
Arrest made in Abby stabbing
As many as 1,000 grow-ops estimated in Mission alone that they will consider these operations as agricultural activities, said Mike Younie, director of development services, in his Aug. 19 report to the council. “Basically we think it’s an agricultural activity, so it should be in agricultural land or rural-residential, if it’s grown in a separate building,” he said. The district’s current zoning bylaw allows for medical marijuana operations on farmland. Amendments to the bylaw would consider more constraints to medical grow-ops such as minimum setbacks from property lines and
– TIMES FILE
Mission wants a municipal ban on medical grow-ops. distances from schools, daycares and so on, added Younie. Adlem said the district wants to
get ahead of pending changes governing medical marijuana grow-ops. The federal Marijuana for Medical
Purposes Regulations expected to come into effect on April 1, 2014, will require medical users to purchase their pot from licensed commercial growers. They will also be able to purchase pot from a pharmacy or order through the mail. Any old growing licences will become void after that date and must be turned over to the RCMP. Currently, Health Canada issues licences for individuals to grow pot for medicinal purposes for personal use, or for a limited number of other persons who use it medicinally. It also requires MMAR-licensed growers to observe all local laws, bylaws and regulations, but it doesn’t inspect and verify the safety of each production site, nor will it tell local governments or police where they are. see GROW-OPS, page A4
New deputy city manager announced
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49-year-old man was airlifted to the hospital from central Abbotsford on Thursday afternoon with a stab wound to his stomach after getting into a dispute with someone he knew, say police. The victim and a 32-year-old man apparently got into an argument in the parking lot of the Dahlstrom Centre at 32700 George Ferguson Way, said Const. Ian Macdonald. “The 49-year-old got the worst of the argument, and he stumbled into [a nearby cosmetics] school with a serious stab wound,” he said. The victim had found his way into the Kosmetae Academy of Spa Aesthetics and Hair Design in the mall, where staff called 911 at about 1:35 p.m. “The good news is that he was talking and conscious – normally that’s a good sign,” said Macdonald. see STABBING, page A4
T
he City of Abbotsford announced on Wednesday the appointment of Jake Rudolph to the position of deputy city manager, effective Oct. 10. Rudolph has been the chief administrative officer for the City of Pitt Meadows for 10 years. His 30-year career in local and regional government spans four different provinces. “We are extremely pleased to welcome Jake to the City of Abbotsford,” said Abbotsford city manager George Murray. “He has a solid reputation and a keen understanding of the issues facing local governments today and will be an asset to us as city hall continues to evolve.”
– CHRISTINA TOTH/TIMES
Abbotsford Police Const. Ron Cardinal leads his dog around Dahlstrom Centre early Thursday (Aug. 29) afternoon, after a 49-year-old man was stabbed there during a dispute.
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