Pubdate: Thu, 16 Dec 2010
Source: Spinal Column Newsweekly (Union Lake, MI)
Copyright: 2010 Linear Publishing
Contact:  http://www.spinalcolumnonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4425
Author: Leslie Shepard-Owsley
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/Michigan+medical+marijuana

MEDICAL POT BAN EXTENDED BY SIX MONTHS IN VILLAGE

The Wolverine Lake Village Council voted on Wednesday, Dec. 8 to 
extend a moratorium on the sale, cultivation and dispensing of 
medical marijuana in the village for another six months.

The moratorium will expire July 14, 2011.

The recommended extension was forwarded to the Village Council by the 
Planning Commission.

"This gives the Planning Commission time to come up with a local 
ordinance to cover all aspects of growing and selling medical 
marijuana," said Village Council President John Magee. "They are 
looking for a reasonable approach to regulating it locally under state law."

Initially the council imposed a six-month moratorium on medical 
marijuana in July to give planners and officials time to study areas 
within the village where medical marijuana facilities might be 
permissible, in response to Michigan voters casting ballots to 
legalize marijuana for medical use during the November 2008 election.

According to Magee, 73.5 percent of the taxpayers in the village 
voted in favor of legalizing marijuana for medical use, with only 
26.5 percent voting in opposition.

The Planning Commission was expected to either draft a final zoning 
ordinance amendment that specifically outlined areas within the 
village where medical marijuana could be legally grown and sold, or 
would determine that the issue falls under the current land use 
zoning ordinance already in place.

"There's still a lot of confusion on state law," Magee said. 
"Planners are trying to decide between a zoning or home business approach."

Planners reviewed several ordinances on the books in other 
communities, including Grand Rapids, but saw some loopholes in the language.

"We don't want to be on the cutting edge of the marijuana law so we 
want a template that we can tweak," Magee said.

While there have been several medical marijuana ordinances adopted 
across the state, Magee said he's uncertain how they will stand up in 
court and how many will provide useful regulation.

"We're going through the issues to adopt an effective ordinance, and 
not because we're using a moratorium in lieu of an outright 
prohibition," Magee said. "We just want to make sure we get it right 
the first time."  
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake