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i Oakville to be home to a cannabis store or more 'H CM ______________________________________________________________________ E o < D Q .g £ jE " ^ < 1 1 1 | jj > < -- o ^ 2 -c ^ (f) .= |= by David Lea ------------------------------------------------------------------One or more cannabis stores are scheduled to be up and running in Oakville within the next six months. The Ministry of Finance and the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) announced earlier this month that Oakville has been selected as one of 40 municipalities to have one or more standalone retail cannabis stores by July 2018. The announcement comes as Ontario prepares for the federal governments plan to legalize cannabis. "The Town of Oakville supports a public sector operating model for the sale of cannabis," said Oakville Mayor Rob Burton when asked for his thoughts on the stores impending arrival. , , No specific location has been identified for Oakville Beaver Staff Oakville Mayor Rob Burton this store or stores, however, Burton said the Towns preference is to identify sites within commercial districts. "The LCBO will be meeting with Town staff to ensure that local community interests are taken into consideration when selecting specific store sites prior to any decision," said Burton. "General provincial guidelines for siting specify that potential stores must: adhere to municipal bylaws; minimize proximity of sites to nearby schools and other sensitive use areas such as community centres; ensure equitable access for consumers within municipalities; combat illegal storefront activity; and consider any other input provided by municipalities." The Province noted in a press release that once the LCBO has identified a prospective store site a notice will be posted online and at the location to let the public know. Before any decisions are made, there wilf be an opportunity for the public to ask questions and provide feedback on the proposed location. Under this proposed approach, approximately 150 standalone stores will be opened across Ontario by 2020, including 40 stores by July 2018, rising to 80 by July 2019. Online distribution will also be available to service all regions of the province. The government says it will evaluate how this approach is working throughout the rollout to ensure that the goals of safe, responsible sales of cannabis and elimination of the illegal market are achieved. Some of the other cities also getting cannabis stores include: Burlington, Guelph, Hamilton, Kitchener, Oshawa, London, Toronto, Vaughan, Oshawa, Ottawa, Mississauga and Niagara Falls. For more information, visit https:// lcbocannabisupdates.com. Tow ncouncil movesOakville grow th plans forw ard by David Lea Oakville Beaver Staff Oakville' s Planning and Development Council voted Dec. 5 to approve a series of Official Plan Amendments, which will update growth area policies for the Kerr Village, Bronte Village, and Downtown Oakville. 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"These amendments provide a framework for sound planning decisions about where we live, work and play, which will ensure the continued vibrancy of our main streets," said Oakville Mayor Rob Burton. Town staff noted Growth Area Reviews access the Town's six existing growth areas -- Kerr Village, Bronte Village, and Downtown Oakville as well as Uptow n Core, Palerm o Village and Midtown Oakville -- to determ ine where there may be opportunities to accom m odate additional residents and jobs. The studies of Kerr Village, Bronte Village and Downtown Oakville were done first and included extensive public consultation. While a specific amendment is proposed for each of the three main street growth areas, the overall effect of the updates include: · New and revised urban design policies and mapping to enhance urban design objectives to guide and shape the character of these unique areas · Updated land use designations to permit greater development opportunities at key locations · Adjusted growth area boundaries Town staff is moving on to the next group of growth area reviews and will be studying Midtown Oakville, Palermo Village and Uptown Core throughout 2018. The Town' s Official Plan Review project is reviewing all of the town' s land use policies to ensure alignment with the most current provincial legislation and policies as well as local studies. An official plan is a legal document containing goals, objectives, and policies intended to guide land use, development and growth in a municipality. The Planning Act requires a review of the official plan every five years. 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