Jacob Bell
New Member
ADRIAN, Mich. - The Adrian Planning Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to table a proposed zoning ordinance regulating facilities that dispense medical marijuana and to seek a joint meeting with the Adrian City Commission to discuss the issue.
The vote followed a public hearing during which nine people spoke, all but one critical of the proposed ordinance.
About 70 people attended the meeting, some of them carrying signs indicating support for medical marijuana.
The main criticism of the proposed ordinance was aimed at a provision restricting medical marijuana facilities to one caregiver per facility. That effectively would limit each facility to five patients because state law allows registered caregivers to serve no more than five registered medical marijuana patients.
Nicole Williams, owner of Medicinal Solutions Wellness Center on North Winter Street, also criticized a “no grandfathering” provision in the law that would make her business non-complying because it is in a central business district zoning.
The law would restrict medical marijuana facilities to “community business” districts.
“I’ve been here since Oct. 13,” Williams said. “Not one of you has had an issue with me.”
Other speakers said the ordinance would force medical marijuana distribution into residential districts.
“Taking it out of central business, you’re more or less going to push it into homes,” said Tina Burrow, a member of Medicinal Solutions Wellness Center and a medical marijuana patient.
George Estes, owner of Simply Hydro, a store in downtown Adrian that sells supplies used to grow marijuana, said the dispensing facilities in the downtown district are not causing any problem.
“You’re limiting a business to five customers, that would be my issue,” Estes said, Chris Miller, Adrian Downtown Development Authority and economic development coordinator, said the DDA has taken a position against “grouping or multiple” marijuana dispensing businesses in the downtown business area.
Miller said he thinks community business districts are a good place for the facilities.
There are community business districts on North Main Street, South Main Street and Beecher Street.
Besides restricting medical marijuana facilities to the community business districts and limiting them to one caregiver each, the proposed ordinance would not allow the facilities within 1,000 feet of each other or within 500 feet of a church, school, park or playground or licensed day care facility.
Michigan’s medical marijuana law, approved by voters in 2008, allows certified patients having certain debilitating medical conditions to grow and use a limited amount of marijuana. Registered medical marijuana caregivers are allowed to grow a limited amount of marijuana plants and distribute marijuana to not more than five patients.
Caregivers may be compensated for costs associated with giving care to registered patients.
Planning commission chairman Mike Jacobitz said he would contact Mayor Gary McDowell about a joint meeting between the planning commission and the city commission.
The planning commission can only recommend an ordinance be approved. The city commission must approve the ordinance for it to become law.
In December, the city commission imposed a 120-day moratorium on any new medical marijuana facilities in the city.
News Hawk- GuitarMan313 420 MAGAZINE
Source: lenconnect.com
Author: John Mulcahy
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: The Daily Telegram
Website: Medical marijuana ordinance tabled
The vote followed a public hearing during which nine people spoke, all but one critical of the proposed ordinance.
About 70 people attended the meeting, some of them carrying signs indicating support for medical marijuana.
The main criticism of the proposed ordinance was aimed at a provision restricting medical marijuana facilities to one caregiver per facility. That effectively would limit each facility to five patients because state law allows registered caregivers to serve no more than five registered medical marijuana patients.
Nicole Williams, owner of Medicinal Solutions Wellness Center on North Winter Street, also criticized a “no grandfathering” provision in the law that would make her business non-complying because it is in a central business district zoning.
The law would restrict medical marijuana facilities to “community business” districts.
“I’ve been here since Oct. 13,” Williams said. “Not one of you has had an issue with me.”
Other speakers said the ordinance would force medical marijuana distribution into residential districts.
“Taking it out of central business, you’re more or less going to push it into homes,” said Tina Burrow, a member of Medicinal Solutions Wellness Center and a medical marijuana patient.
George Estes, owner of Simply Hydro, a store in downtown Adrian that sells supplies used to grow marijuana, said the dispensing facilities in the downtown district are not causing any problem.
“You’re limiting a business to five customers, that would be my issue,” Estes said, Chris Miller, Adrian Downtown Development Authority and economic development coordinator, said the DDA has taken a position against “grouping or multiple” marijuana dispensing businesses in the downtown business area.
Miller said he thinks community business districts are a good place for the facilities.
There are community business districts on North Main Street, South Main Street and Beecher Street.
Besides restricting medical marijuana facilities to the community business districts and limiting them to one caregiver each, the proposed ordinance would not allow the facilities within 1,000 feet of each other or within 500 feet of a church, school, park or playground or licensed day care facility.
Michigan’s medical marijuana law, approved by voters in 2008, allows certified patients having certain debilitating medical conditions to grow and use a limited amount of marijuana. Registered medical marijuana caregivers are allowed to grow a limited amount of marijuana plants and distribute marijuana to not more than five patients.
Caregivers may be compensated for costs associated with giving care to registered patients.
Planning commission chairman Mike Jacobitz said he would contact Mayor Gary McDowell about a joint meeting between the planning commission and the city commission.
The planning commission can only recommend an ordinance be approved. The city commission must approve the ordinance for it to become law.
In December, the city commission imposed a 120-day moratorium on any new medical marijuana facilities in the city.
News Hawk- GuitarMan313 420 MAGAZINE
Source: lenconnect.com
Author: John Mulcahy
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: The Daily Telegram
Website: Medical marijuana ordinance tabled
