The Leaf Boutique is one of the marijuana stores operating without a permit from the City of Vancouver.
It has been served violation tickets by city bylaw officers, and the store wants none of that hassle anymore.
The Leaf Boutique has applied for a permit at its 6528 Victoria Drive shop, but there is a problem.
In a letter to city hall that forms part of the application, owner Jesse Gerard Matte-Lakota noted that the store is near the South Vancouver Neighbourhood House.
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Matte-Lakota wrote that the shop is about 100 metres from the neighbourhood house, which does not meet city requirements on where marijuana dispensaries can locate.
According to city regulations adopted by council in June 2015, a marijuana dispensary is not allowed if it will be within 300 metres from a school, community centre, neighbourhood houses, centres serving vulnerable youth, and other pot shops.
In his letter, Matte-Lakota asked the city to relax the regulation because there is “no visual access from the neighbourhood house to see into” the store.
“I fear that relocating will cause undue stress on our members, employees, and myself as I got into this business with help from a family member who moved away and left the business,” the pot shop operator wrote.
The Leaf Boutique is near the intersection of Victoria Drive and East 49th Avenue.
“I am hoping you would be willing to look past the docile effects people experience from marijuana and allow us to continue to operate in our now settled location for the many people needing access that have come to us over time,” Matte-Lakota wrote in the letter.
Another marijuana store is operating nearby and also without a license from the city.
Across the street from the South Vancouver Neighbourhood House on a strip mall is a store by the Medical Mary-Jane Canada Society at 6453 Victoria Drive.
