Red Deer council gave first reading to a pair of bylaws on Monday night that in concert, would regulate future cannabis retailers in the city.

“Bylaw A,” as city officials call it, defines “cannabis retail sales” as a land use, making it distinct from regular retail. It also prohibits the use from all districts in the city.

“Otherwise it would be considered like any other retailer and there could potentially be hundreds … if not thousands of potential locations in the community,” said Mayor Tara Veer.

Potential locations and regulations are set in “Bylaw B.”

Cannabis retail sales would be added as a discretionary use in two districts: C1 Commercial (City Centre) and C4 Commercial (Major Arterial).

The proposed regulations would impose 300-metre setbacks from schools, daycares, city-operated indoor recreation facilities and the hospital.

Cannabis retailers would not be co-located with the retail sale of tobacco or pharmaceuticals, drinking establishments, or liquor, beer and wine sales.

Neither can they be adjacent to drinking establishments or liquor, beer or wine sales.

Hours of operation would be limited to 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Smoking, vaping or any other use would not be allowed in the premises.

Council decided not to read “Bylaw C,” which would add cannabis retail to districts where liquor stores are allowed.

“That does not preclude other options from coming forward in the future … better to start out with a more stringent approach and that can always open more in the future,” Veer said.

The province announced on Feb. 16 that the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC) would be responsible for licensing and oversight of cannabis retail, and that the AGLC would start taking applications from prospective businesses on March 6.

For a retailer to obtain a provincial licence, it would need a development permit from the municipality and the timelines left the city in a crunch for time to get its regulatory framework in order.

The city will take an extra two weeks for public engagement -- six weeks total -- before the public hearing on April 16 at 6 p.m.