Lacombe city council gave second reading to proposed zoning regulations for cannabis retail during Monday night`s meeting, with several amendments.

The changes came after a lengthy public hearing where most of the speakers who addressed council voiced their opposition to the bylaw as presented.

One of the amendments included a site-specific exemption to remove cannabis retail sales as a use from the Winks convenience store on 58 Street, after concerns arose about the shop`s proximity to two nearby schools.

Another amendment made cannabis retail a permitted use in C5 Shopping Centre Districts.

Then, council further voted to make cannabis retail and liquor sales a permitted use in C4 Highway Commercial Districts.

The last amendment was a site-specific exemption to prohibit cannabis retail and production at an industrial lot near the airport.

Council will consider third reading for the bylaw on Sept. 10.

There were two proposed amendments that council defeated: one to set a 75-metre setback from provincially-outlined youth sites and a cap on the number of dispensaries based on a ratio to population.

Donald Parker, from Youth Unlimited, was one of those to speak during the public hearing. He was concerned about the Canna Cabana dispensary that could open across the agency`s youth centre, on 50 Street.

“You have to realize that these kids come to school for a safe haven there, they take tutoring and stuff like that so the constant rinsing of this experience will be in their mind and in their lives and maybe it doesn’t need to be” said Parker.

Nick Kuzyk, the chief strategy officer for Canna Cabana said that the company is very aware of the youth in the area.

“The second step is to make sure that our signage and design of the store is respectful to the community and that there isn’t anything about this particular store that would be more attractive to underage youth, you know we take that very seriously,” Kuzyk said.

Coun. Jonathan Jacobson said that the location on 50 Street should be fine considering alcohol is purchasable on the same street.

“So ultimately the philosophy that we proposed was to treat it fairly, the same as the other public intoxicant which is alcohol, if you can sell alcohol here then you should be able to sell cannabis here.”