Cannabis facility needs variance to grow in South Okanagan

PENTICTON – Applicants seeking to build a cannabis facility in the South Okanagan come before the regional board tomorrow to seek a variance on agricultural property north of Oliver.

David and Wanda Casorso's application is a request to vary the maximum parcel coverage for a building on agricultural property from three to 17 per cent in order to allow development of a medical cannabis production facility. The property is located on the east side of Secrest Hill Road, north of Highway 97 and 4.5 kilometres north of Oliver, and is 6.72 ha in size.

The applicants have two options available by which to grow cannabis, in an enclosed building estimated at 12,000 square metres in size, using lights and lamps to grow plants, or in greenhouses taking up 44,600 square metres, which are allowed to cover up to 75 per cent of the parcel.

If the application is denied, the property owners could opt to build greenhouses to grow their plants without requiring a variance, but the greenhouses would take up a larger footprint on the property.

Adjacent property owners have received notification of the proposal and an advisory planning commission meeting took place June 19.

The results will be provided during board discussions on the matter at tomorrow’s board meeting, June 21.

Sunniva Canada recently announced plans to build a 700,000 square foot greenhouse facility on the former Weyerhaeuser lands in Okanagan Falls.

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