Jacob Bell
New Member
It won't be cheap to get a license to grow or dispense medical marijuana in Union Township.
The township board voted 5-1 Wednesday to charge a licensing fee of $2,000 for the initial license for a medical marijuana dispensary or growing facility, and an annual fee of $1,000 for each year beyond that. In addition, Union Township will charge a non-refundable $275 fee simply to apply.
"Can we charge more for the license than it costs us?" asked township trustee John Verwey, who cast the sole vote against the fee schedule.
Township Manager Brian Smith said Union Township was basing its fees on similar fees being put into place by the cities of Ypsilanti and East Lansing, which have already put municipal licensing into place.
"It's still fairly new on the licensing side," Smith said. Other cities, such as Ann Arbor and Lansing, also have moved toward licensing businesses to serve medical marijuana patients and caregivers.
"For someone to start up, they'll have to pay quite a bit of money up front," noted township Clerk Peter Gallinat.
The township also would assess $100 zoning permit fees.
The township would issue licenses only to people who don't have felony drug convictions and those licenses would be renewable The zoning law limits growing facilities to industrial zones, and commercial dispensaries could be placed only in commercial zones.
Township zoning administrator Woody Woodruff said earlier that separation requirements would probably put an effective limit of two or three dispensaries and one or two growing facilities in the township.
Michigan voters approved the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act in 2008, which is supposed to prevent the prosecution of state-registered patients who grow and use marijuana, as well as patients' caregivers.
The law permits individuals to grow in their own homes for themselves or their patients. The township would charge a one-time $25 safety inspection fee to make sure that home growing operations are safe.
Many growers grow indoors under high-powered growing lamps, and concerns have been raised about adequate wiring. Hydroponic gardening also can be used, and there are concerns about mold.
The law doesn't mention dispensaries and growing facilities, but commercial operations to serve the increasing population of patients and caregivers registered with the state have popped up in numerous communities.
Isabella County recently imposed a moratorium on new medical marijuana-related facilities while its planning commission develops policies. The city of Mt. Pleasant has decided not to set any rules at least until an appeals court ruling on a case involving a dispensary in the city.
Federal law still classifies marijuana as a drug with no legitimate medical use..
Developing the township's law wasn't cheap, either. Smith told the board that the Lansing-based Hubbard Law Firm, which provided legal help in writing the laws, billed the township more than $13,000 in legal fees.
News Hawk- Jacob Ebel 420 MAGAZINE
Source: themorningsun.com
Author: Mark Ranzenberger
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: The Morning Sun
Website: Union Township sets medical marijuana license fees
The township board voted 5-1 Wednesday to charge a licensing fee of $2,000 for the initial license for a medical marijuana dispensary or growing facility, and an annual fee of $1,000 for each year beyond that. In addition, Union Township will charge a non-refundable $275 fee simply to apply.
"Can we charge more for the license than it costs us?" asked township trustee John Verwey, who cast the sole vote against the fee schedule.
Township Manager Brian Smith said Union Township was basing its fees on similar fees being put into place by the cities of Ypsilanti and East Lansing, which have already put municipal licensing into place.
"It's still fairly new on the licensing side," Smith said. Other cities, such as Ann Arbor and Lansing, also have moved toward licensing businesses to serve medical marijuana patients and caregivers.
"For someone to start up, they'll have to pay quite a bit of money up front," noted township Clerk Peter Gallinat.
The township also would assess $100 zoning permit fees.
The township would issue licenses only to people who don't have felony drug convictions and those licenses would be renewable The zoning law limits growing facilities to industrial zones, and commercial dispensaries could be placed only in commercial zones.
Township zoning administrator Woody Woodruff said earlier that separation requirements would probably put an effective limit of two or three dispensaries and one or two growing facilities in the township.
Michigan voters approved the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act in 2008, which is supposed to prevent the prosecution of state-registered patients who grow and use marijuana, as well as patients' caregivers.
The law permits individuals to grow in their own homes for themselves or their patients. The township would charge a one-time $25 safety inspection fee to make sure that home growing operations are safe.
Many growers grow indoors under high-powered growing lamps, and concerns have been raised about adequate wiring. Hydroponic gardening also can be used, and there are concerns about mold.
The law doesn't mention dispensaries and growing facilities, but commercial operations to serve the increasing population of patients and caregivers registered with the state have popped up in numerous communities.
Isabella County recently imposed a moratorium on new medical marijuana-related facilities while its planning commission develops policies. The city of Mt. Pleasant has decided not to set any rules at least until an appeals court ruling on a case involving a dispensary in the city.
Federal law still classifies marijuana as a drug with no legitimate medical use..
Developing the township's law wasn't cheap, either. Smith told the board that the Lansing-based Hubbard Law Firm, which provided legal help in writing the laws, billed the township more than $13,000 in legal fees.
News Hawk- Jacob Ebel 420 MAGAZINE
Source: themorningsun.com
Author: Mark Ranzenberger
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: The Morning Sun
Website: Union Township sets medical marijuana license fees
