Pubdate: Thu, 23 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

CITY TACKS SIX MONTHS ONTO MEDICAL POT MORATORIUM

The Orchard Lake City Council voted on Monday, Dec. 20 to extend a 
moratorium on allowing medical marijuana operations in the city for 
another six months.

The moratorium is set to expire June 21, 2011.

The recommendation was forwarded to the City Council by the Planning 
Commission.

"It allows the Planning Commission more time to deliberate and allows 
for more time for the implementation of the legislation to develop," 
said City Clerk Janet Overholt-Green.

Initially the City Council imposed a six-month moratorium on medical 
marijuana operations to give planners and officials adequate time to 
study areas within the city where medical marijuana facilities might 
be permissible, in response to Michigan voters legalizing marijuana 
for medical use during the 2008 general election.

The current state law permits physician-approved use of marijuana by 
registered patients with debilitating medical conditions including 
cancer, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS, hepatitis C, MS and other conditions as 
may be approved by the state Department of Community Health; permits 
registered individuals to grow limited amounts of marijuana for 
qualifying patients in an enclosed, locked facility; requires the 
Department of Community Health to establish an identification card 
system for patients qualified to use marijuana and individuals 
qualified to grow marijuana; and permits registered and unregistered 
patients and primary caregivers to assert medical reasons for using 
marijuana as a defense to any prosecution involving marijuana.

"Municipalities have been adopting ordinances and there have been 
court actions so we're paying attention to what is and what isn't 
permitted," Overholt-Green said.

Once the moratorium expires, the Planning Commission is expected to 
draft a final zoning ordinance amendment that specifically outlines 
areas within the city where medical marijuana can be dispensed.

"We would draft an amendment to the zoning ordinance that will govern 
dispensaries," Overholt-Green said. "There is no city regulation at 
all right now. Our focus is on dispensaries."

If a business should approach the city with a request, it would need 
to go through a business license application and rely on that process 
until regulation is in place.  
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake