On Tuesday, three potential cannabis retailers appealed West Kelowna City Council's decision to temporarily decline their applications.
Last year council drew up final policies regulating the sale of non-medical cannabis.
They agreed to allow only four store locations, two in the Mt. Boucherie Business Park area and two in Westbank Centre.
The City received 10 applications in total and after the initial scoring process, three applicants withdrew.
Cheeba Cheebas and BeKind were put on hold and Higher Ground was denied.
After a spirited and healthy debate, council voted in a four to three division, to allow five operations to move forward into the development process.
Councillor Rick De Jong was among the three council members that did not support a fifth store
“The policy was clear that we wanted to move forward slowly and get a handle on the implications and ramifications of having these facilities, in these various locations, before we open things right up,” said De Jong.
In the end, majority ruled that Cheeba Cheeba’s very highly rated, very strong application warranted adding them to the list of locations continuing to the provincial licensing process.
BeKind’s application will be accepted in the event that one of the five operations falls through.