MERIDIAN TWP., Mich. — At this week's Meridian Township Board meeting on Tuesday at 6 p.m., the first discussion of the August primaries recreational marijuana shop proposal will take place.
This comes after the Ingham County Board of Canvassers completed the ballot recount last week determining the proposal failed by just six votes therefore allowing recreational shops to open in the township.
Township Supervisor Patricia Jackson has asked that a discussion take place.
As it currently stands, the township prohibits all recreational marijuana shops per an ordinance adopted in 2019. However, medical marijuana establishments are currently allowed, although none have opened and no licenses have been given.
Now the question is what will the future of recreational marijuana shops look like in the township? That includes where will they go, how many will there be and what types of licenses the township will issue.
Right now through the licensing ordinance, the township allows up to three each of grower, processor, safety compliance and secure transport permits, along with six provisioning center permits, but these are limited by location.
That leads to the next discussion topic listed on the agenda, where will the township issue these licenses? There are seven overlay areas that allow medical marijuana, including commercial, industrial and research park zoned properties. But will that be the same for recreational shops? This discussion will eventually need to be transferred to the Planning Commission for review, and a public hearing will be required.
The third topic of discussion listed are the types of licenses. The types of licenses are different for medical and recreational marijuana, but there is some overlap.
Township staff will be looking for input from the township attorney's office for options in creating a licensing or permitting scheme for recreational marijuana. This topic might be referred to the Planning Commission, but it's not required.
This meeting is just the first discussion on recreational shops and no formal action will be taken at this time.
Staff is looking for any and all feedback on how to move forward or not move forward with this topic.
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