Medical marijuana production facilities are now allowed in Eaton Rapids. The City Council approved a new ordinance last month. The facilities could start operating as soon as next year.
Marijuana production facilities will only be allowed in the city's South Industrial District along Mike Simpson Drive.
"Each facility will need to maintain a distance of 250 feet minimum from neighboring facilities or homes," said Eaton Rapids City Manager Aaron Desentz.
Desentz said they anticipate starting to accept applications in September.
"I think it's a possibility that, if the city accepts and receives applications in September of this year, that construction could start and you could see some of these facilities start to operate in 2022," Desentz said.
The ordinance set a limit of 10 facilities in the city.
"That could be divided amongst any number of facilities. It could be ten facilities. Ten licenses could also be purchased by one single facility," said Desentz.
People can not buy directly from the facilities, which would produce marijuana products and sell and ship them to a licensed retailer.
With medical marijuana production facilities coming in, economic benefits come along with it. Some of those are property tax, utility revenue income, and job creation.
"New jobs coming into the town. There's also development momentum. As development occurs within the city, you're likely to see more development occur around that," he said. "As obviously workers who work at these facilities will need homes to live in, they will want restaurants that they can go to. They will want businesses that they can shop at."
At this time the city is not considering any sort of retail establishments.
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