The town of Lincoln has hit the pause button when it comes to new marijuana grow operations in the area.

For the next year, no new cannabis greenhouses will be able to open up but residents dealing with the smell of existing operations are out of luck.

A greenhouse on 15th street in Jordan Station started growing cannabis about a year ago and residents have been complaining ever since.

“The one on 15th is the one we receive the most complaints about, and I would say 95% are about odour. From that perspective the interim control bylaw doesn’t necessarily impact that operation.” Mike Kirkopoulos, town of Lincoln.

The town of Lincoln passed an interim control bylaw last week preventing any new marijuana growing facilities from going up for at least a year. In that time the town will adjust zoning bylaws and look at land uses next to proposed grow-ops.

As for the greenhouse on 15th, the town of Lincoln staff will work with the owner to limit the stench, but they admit not much can be done.

“Often very hard to do on existing facilities that have been grandfathered.”

The Ontario ministry of agriculture and rural affairs says, “The ministry considers cannabis to be an agricultural crop. The ministry understands that farming, by its very nature, can cause nuisances such as odours, and the growing of cannabis is no different. “