After Michigan voters passed a law allowing the use of marijuana for medical purposes in 2008, governments and law enforcement authorities said the voter-passed law was unclear.
Now, some rules on how to implement the law are emerging and local municipalities have choices on how they want to regulate the legal marijuana. Plainwell and Otsego cities have both recently chosen to invoke a six-month review period.
Plainwell city council members heard a report at their Monday, May 10, regular meeting.
"A lot of communities are studying this," Plainwell city manager Erik Wilson said. "Is it a zoning issue, or a law enforcement issue?
"There are a couple of ways to deal with this. None of them are the right or wrong way."
Wilson said that the City of Allegan had come up with the idea of denying a pending application because it was reviewing its approach for six months.
"It can't be prohibited," he said. "It's definitely coming, but the question is how."
Plainwell had an application from someone who wanted to dispense medical marijuana, Wilson said.
"At some point, staff will have to bring a recommendation to council," he said.
The city council approved the request to put the issue off for six months unanimously.
Otsego
City commissioners heard a report at their Monday, May 17, regular meeting counseling the same approach.
"This is something we're doing to hold things until we decide precisely what we're going to do," Otsego Mayor Tom Gilmer said.
City manager Thad Beard said the city's planning commission would weigh in first.
"I'll take it to the planning commission and they'll come back with a recommendation on whether to consider it in our zoning ordinance and, if so, how," Beard said.
News Hawk: Warbux 420 MAGAZINE
Source: The Plainwell-Otsego Union Enterprize
Author: Daniel Pepper
Contact: mailto:dpepper@allegannews.com
Copyright: 2010 The Plainwell-Otsego Union Enterprize
Website: Allegan News Online
Now, some rules on how to implement the law are emerging and local municipalities have choices on how they want to regulate the legal marijuana. Plainwell and Otsego cities have both recently chosen to invoke a six-month review period.
Plainwell city council members heard a report at their Monday, May 10, regular meeting.
"A lot of communities are studying this," Plainwell city manager Erik Wilson said. "Is it a zoning issue, or a law enforcement issue?
"There are a couple of ways to deal with this. None of them are the right or wrong way."
Wilson said that the City of Allegan had come up with the idea of denying a pending application because it was reviewing its approach for six months.
"It can't be prohibited," he said. "It's definitely coming, but the question is how."
Plainwell had an application from someone who wanted to dispense medical marijuana, Wilson said.
"At some point, staff will have to bring a recommendation to council," he said.
The city council approved the request to put the issue off for six months unanimously.
Otsego
City commissioners heard a report at their Monday, May 17, regular meeting counseling the same approach.
"This is something we're doing to hold things until we decide precisely what we're going to do," Otsego Mayor Tom Gilmer said.
City manager Thad Beard said the city's planning commission would weigh in first.
"I'll take it to the planning commission and they'll come back with a recommendation on whether to consider it in our zoning ordinance and, if so, how," Beard said.
News Hawk: Warbux 420 MAGAZINE
Source: The Plainwell-Otsego Union Enterprize
Author: Daniel Pepper
Contact: mailto:dpepper@allegannews.com
Copyright: 2010 The Plainwell-Otsego Union Enterprize
Website: Allegan News Online
