Council voted against allowing a commercial cannabis operation to open in a space attached to the Owl Pub and Liquor Store on Monday. (Vanessa Broadbent photo)

By Dale Boyd

Osoyoos Times

A commercial cannabis operation attached to the Owl Pub and Liquor Store is not going ahead after council voted to abandon the required rezoning.

In a 3-2 vote at Monday’s regular council meeting the proposal was quashed, mostly due to safety concerns from councillors regarding the location of the proposed pot shop — with access through the active loading area attached to the shop at 7603 Spartan Dr.

Despite proposed changes by applicant William Irvine to increase safety with lighting, security cameras, a monitor for staff in the pub and an attendant to guide trucks in and out, shutting down operations until safe for pedestrian access, council was not willing to take the risk.

“The safety of people on the sidewalk and in that area is paramount and I really question the need for any type of business to be in there. I really worry about that and I think we will be in for real problems,” Mayor Sue McKortoff said.

• Read more: No big increase of cannabis-impaired drivers: RCMP

Coun. CJ Rhodes agreed.

“This seems like the right people at the wrong location right now,” Rhodes said.

Another retail cannabis store proposed for the Gateway Square shopping centre at 9143 Main St. was given third reading at the April 15 meeting with council voting unanimously. The shop is looking to employ seven to 12 locals.

Two more proposed cannabis stores have received third reading for the required rezoning bylaws, one at the former location of Osoyoos Signs on 72 Ave. and a location on 8322 Main St. All the proposed outlets still have to be approved through the provincial licensing process.

Should they be approved by the province, the Town would still have the option to request additional information and would not necessarily be required to approve the rezoning.

The application to put a commercial cannabis operation attached to the Owl Pub can come back to council in one year, according to the rules laid out in the community charter.

“We can look at it again in the future,” McKortoff said.