Danny Fillmore and Sari Weinberg have applied for town approval to set up a marijuana growing greenhouse behind their home in Middle Sackville
Sackville may soon have its first legal marijuana growing operation if town council agrees to change zoning bylaws.
Middle Sackville residents Danny Fillmore and Sari Weinberg have applied for permission to set up a 2,150 square-foot greenhouse on agricultural land at the rear of their property on Main Street near School Lane where they plan to grow high-quality, organic cannabis under a federal licence.
However, at its meeting on Monday, town planner Lori Bickford told council the current bylaw does not permit cannabis grow-ops in areas zoned agricultural, although other municipalities in the region are starting to accept such small, micro-cultivation facilities as an agricultural activity.
Bickford served notice that at council’s regular meeting next week, a motion will be introduced asking whether councillors would be willing to consider changing the town’s zoning bylaws to permit small, cannabis grow-ops in an agricultural zone.
If council passes the motion next Tuesday, the regional planning committee would be asked for its comments and a public hearing would be scheduled before council could give an amended bylaw the required three readings.
In an e-mail to Warktimes, Bickford says the process to meet all the legal requirements would take about three to four months.
Farming and business
During a telephone interview, Danny Fillmore and Sari Weinberg said their cannabis growing facility would be near the existing Anderson’s Greenhouse garden centre on School Lane.
Fillmore said he has grown small amounts of cannabis legally in British Columbia and in Sackville, but now mainly produces garlic, kale, squash, carrots and other vegetables in raised beds on his property.
“I think I’m more of a farmer wanting to get into a business,” he says when asked how he would describe himself.
Federal licensing
“We are in the system with Health Canada for licensing,” Weinberg says, “but we can’t move forward unless we have the permission to have the [bylaw] changed and start building on our property.”
She adds that they’re working with a legal team that has extensive experience with marijuana.
Fillmore says they also have a licensed distributor to handle their product and they expect to employ about five workers.
“We even have a company that will be making it into edibles as well,” Weinberg says.
“We’re all set, we’re ready to go,” Fillmore adds, “we just need the blessing from our town.”
Shouldn’t be an issue as it’s not in the famous exit 506 floodplain. Those who oppose all development in the area and our businesses will need to come up with some other way to oppose this newest venture. I say have at it and good luck with council getting on board.
This should be a no-brainer, regardless of what one thinks of MJ in general: it’s legal generally, it’s agricultural land, and the purpose of agricultural land is to grow things.
Let’s see if Sackville Town Council will do something pro-business and approve whatever needs to be approved to enable someone to do business!
Holly hell Earl this should be interesting. They will probably be allowed as long as its not sold from a cup.
So there is pot growing all over this town already .. and sadly, there are drugs in the schools and medicated children being doped by ‘helpful concerned’ people.. and ….. there are hard drugs in the university being sold from the dark web to keep students ‘high to study’ and the youth are freely mixing alcohol, pills and pot .. besides bringing in the new Bagtown Brewery and a Cannabis NB and now a new special pot biz .. do they want to do anything constructive for the youth here? Just wonderful… Tantramar Skate Park — because healthy young people make for a healthy town… I oppose pot and booze and pill culture #big pharma and the opiod crisis are harming our society. #stay clean
This may employ about five people, which is about the same number as the giant freezer on Crescent Street will. It’s legal and unobtrusive. I cannot see why this should not be approved.
Good luck to you, Danny. I’m just sitting here, chortling at the thought of Laurie Black rolling in his proverbial grave. I’m betting Gwen would do her best to settle him down.
I am a faithful client of BueTEAful All the products are great, although my favourite is the “organic cream of earl grey”. Bravo to Sari whose products have travelled ocean and sea to be gifted to my loved ones as souvenirs from Sackville. I do not think I can do the same with your new products though :). Seriously, best wishes to Danny F. & Sari W. for your new project. Like Louis, I hope our town will know how to foster winning conditions for your business and others. May we see more prosperity not only in New Brunswick but also across the country!
Since I knew Laurie Black, my father, far better than Berkely Fleming did I can say with certainty that Laurie would have supported Danny Fillmore’s initiative. He knew and respected Danny’s mother, who was an antique & collectibles dealer with whom he had many dealings, and would have respected Danny’s efforts to create something as well. Fleming’s fatuous remark is too typical of a retired university professor – I know, because I am one as well.
It was meant as an affectionate comment, but I take Dr. Black’s point and I apologize for my temerity.