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Officials in Zeeland Township are considering a medical marijuana ordinance that would give township officials the ability to respond to complaints about potential abuses of the state law that legalizes its use for medical purposes.
The Township Board on Tuesday, April 16 approved the measure for first reading, with a second vote planned for next month.
The proposed ordinance is largely based on the existing state law, except it does include provisions that prevent marijuana from being grown within 1,000 feet of a school, church, day care or park. Michigan voters passed a ballot proposal in 2008 that legalized medical marijuana.
Zoning Administrator Don Mannes told board members that he doesn't expect the ordinance to add much in the way of workload for him.
"The only time we're going to enforce it is if we get complaints, and we'll send a police officer there and find out whether he's complying with the ordinance," Mannes said.
Trustee Ron Brink expressed concerns about the lack of specific language regarding how the ordinance will be enforced.
"It doesn't smell quite right," Brink said. "There's nothing that says 'where's the long arm of the law.'"
However, Mannes says as the township's code of ordinance already states that the zoning administrator has the responsibility for enforcing all township ordinances.
Trustee Ed Zylstra favors the measure because of its simplicity.
"It's not complicated. We don't need anything complicated," Zylstra said. "If marijuana gets legalized in the future, why spend a lot of time on something like this?"
Township officials approved an 18-month moratorium on medical marijuana in 2011 because of what they saw as "ambiguity" within the state law. The township Planning Commission has been worked on an ordinance for several months, said Treasurer Al Myaard, the Township Board's liaison to the planning body.
News Hawk- Truth Seeker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: mlive.com
Author: Greg Chandler
Contact: Contact Us - MLive.com
Website: Medical marijuana rules would keep plants away from Zeeland Township schools, churches | MLive.com
The Township Board on Tuesday, April 16 approved the measure for first reading, with a second vote planned for next month.
The proposed ordinance is largely based on the existing state law, except it does include provisions that prevent marijuana from being grown within 1,000 feet of a school, church, day care or park. Michigan voters passed a ballot proposal in 2008 that legalized medical marijuana.
Zoning Administrator Don Mannes told board members that he doesn't expect the ordinance to add much in the way of workload for him.
"The only time we're going to enforce it is if we get complaints, and we'll send a police officer there and find out whether he's complying with the ordinance," Mannes said.
Trustee Ron Brink expressed concerns about the lack of specific language regarding how the ordinance will be enforced.
"It doesn't smell quite right," Brink said. "There's nothing that says 'where's the long arm of the law.'"
However, Mannes says as the township's code of ordinance already states that the zoning administrator has the responsibility for enforcing all township ordinances.
Trustee Ed Zylstra favors the measure because of its simplicity.
"It's not complicated. We don't need anything complicated," Zylstra said. "If marijuana gets legalized in the future, why spend a lot of time on something like this?"
Township officials approved an 18-month moratorium on medical marijuana in 2011 because of what they saw as "ambiguity" within the state law. The township Planning Commission has been worked on an ordinance for several months, said Treasurer Al Myaard, the Township Board's liaison to the planning body.
News Hawk- Truth Seeker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: mlive.com
Author: Greg Chandler
Contact: Contact Us - MLive.com
Website: Medical marijuana rules would keep plants away from Zeeland Township schools, churches | MLive.com
