Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
The Gaylord City Council agreed to move forward with revised language of a proposed medical marijuana ordinance amendment, which is now expected to come to a vote in January.
At its meeting Monday, the council unanimously approved the language of a proposed ordinance amendment, revised by City Attorney Paul Slough, permitting medical marijuana provisioning centers in locations deemed C-1 Commercial District by the city zoning ordinance. Joe Duff, city manager, said the city could vote to approve or deny the amendment during the Jan. 11 council meeting.
"It's a win, win, win situation," said Alan Witt, one of the leaders of the medical marijuana amendment initiative. "They're happy they have the ordinance, store owners are happy they have this, and the community is happy they have access to their medicine."
Slough said only slight revisions and additions were made to the proposed amendment.
He said there were concerns the definition for a medical marijuana provisioning center in the original proposed amendment, "Any building, lot, or structure where more than 25 percent is used to cultivate medical marihuana or any building, lot, or structure where three or more caregivers are cultivating, storing, delivering, transferring, or providing qualified patients with medical marihuana," was too broad.
To address those concerns, Slough said he broke the definition into three definitions: medical marijuana growing operation, medical marijuana processing center and medical marijuana provisioning center.
In the revised ordinance amendment, the following definitions are applied:
- A medical marijuana growing operation is defined as "any lot or premises used to cultivate, dry, trim, or cure marihuana for sale."
- A medical marijuana processing center is defined as "any lot or premises used in the extraction of resin from marihuana or the creation of a marihuana infused product for sale and transfer in packaged form."
- A medical marijuana provisioning center is defined as "any lot or premises used to sell, supply, or provide marihuana at retail to qualifying patients under the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act, MCL 333.26423, directly or through the patients' registered primary caregivers."
Witt and Chad Morrow, leaders of a petitioning drive that led to these actions and co-owners of the Cloud 45 dispensary, said though the revised ordinance amendment is different than the one originally proposed and approved by the Gaylord Planning Commission, they had no issue with the changes.
"I'm fine with it, as long as they continue moving forward with it, keep taking the positive actions and being proactive about it, and getting it resolved," Witt said.
Duff previously said if the amendment were to be approved, it would set ground rules for the medical marijuana industry in Gaylord.
In the event a medical marijuana provisioning center wants to open in Gaylord, the amendment would call for the city to meet with the future owner and go over a zoning map to show where the owner may or may not open a dispensary. Once they find a location where the zoning would allow for a dispensary, the owner could open and operate according to the Michigan medical marijuana law.
The city also would regulate any signage and additions to the building being used.
"This is a good first step," said John Jenkins, mayor.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Revised Medical Marijuana Ordinance Amendment Language Approved
Author: Mark Johnson
Contact: Email The Author
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: Petoskey News
At its meeting Monday, the council unanimously approved the language of a proposed ordinance amendment, revised by City Attorney Paul Slough, permitting medical marijuana provisioning centers in locations deemed C-1 Commercial District by the city zoning ordinance. Joe Duff, city manager, said the city could vote to approve or deny the amendment during the Jan. 11 council meeting.
"It's a win, win, win situation," said Alan Witt, one of the leaders of the medical marijuana amendment initiative. "They're happy they have the ordinance, store owners are happy they have this, and the community is happy they have access to their medicine."
Slough said only slight revisions and additions were made to the proposed amendment.
He said there were concerns the definition for a medical marijuana provisioning center in the original proposed amendment, "Any building, lot, or structure where more than 25 percent is used to cultivate medical marihuana or any building, lot, or structure where three or more caregivers are cultivating, storing, delivering, transferring, or providing qualified patients with medical marihuana," was too broad.
To address those concerns, Slough said he broke the definition into three definitions: medical marijuana growing operation, medical marijuana processing center and medical marijuana provisioning center.
In the revised ordinance amendment, the following definitions are applied:
- A medical marijuana growing operation is defined as "any lot or premises used to cultivate, dry, trim, or cure marihuana for sale."
- A medical marijuana processing center is defined as "any lot or premises used in the extraction of resin from marihuana or the creation of a marihuana infused product for sale and transfer in packaged form."
- A medical marijuana provisioning center is defined as "any lot or premises used to sell, supply, or provide marihuana at retail to qualifying patients under the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act, MCL 333.26423, directly or through the patients' registered primary caregivers."
Witt and Chad Morrow, leaders of a petitioning drive that led to these actions and co-owners of the Cloud 45 dispensary, said though the revised ordinance amendment is different than the one originally proposed and approved by the Gaylord Planning Commission, they had no issue with the changes.
"I'm fine with it, as long as they continue moving forward with it, keep taking the positive actions and being proactive about it, and getting it resolved," Witt said.
Duff previously said if the amendment were to be approved, it would set ground rules for the medical marijuana industry in Gaylord.
In the event a medical marijuana provisioning center wants to open in Gaylord, the amendment would call for the city to meet with the future owner and go over a zoning map to show where the owner may or may not open a dispensary. Once they find a location where the zoning would allow for a dispensary, the owner could open and operate according to the Michigan medical marijuana law.
The city also would regulate any signage and additions to the building being used.
"This is a good first step," said John Jenkins, mayor.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Revised Medical Marijuana Ordinance Amendment Language Approved
Author: Mark Johnson
Contact: Email The Author
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: Petoskey News
