Pubdate: Wed, 11 Aug 2010
Source: Grand Haven Tribune (MI)
Copyright: 2010 Grand Haven Publishing Corp
Contact:  http://www.grandhaventribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4298
Author: Alex Doty
Cited: Grand Haven City Council 
http://www.grandhaven.org/city-services/city-council/
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?275 (Cannabis - Michigan)

MEDICAL MARIJUANA ORDINANCE MOVES TO CITY COUNCIL

After issuing a moratorium several months ago on the dispensation of 
medical marijuana in Grand Haven, City Council will soon have a look 
at regulations governing the issue in the city.

"The city of Grand Haven felt it would be in the city's best interest 
to allow medical marijuana facilities to exist as a home-based 
occupation," City Planner Kristin Keery said.

The Grand Haven Planning Commission approved recommending the 
ordinance in a 6-3 vote Tuesday night. Commissioners Erin Kauth, 
Tyler Hayes and Mark Hills voted against it.

City Council is expected to consider the proposed zoning ordinance 
amendment at its Sept. 7 meeting.

While the dispensation of medical marijuana would be allowed as a 
"minor" home-based occupation in residential districts, it would not 
be permitted in commercial-or industrial-zoned districts. This was an 
issue that was taken up by some of the planning commissioners when 
debating the regulations.

"I'd like to see it in industrial or transitional industrial areas," 
Hayes said.

This additional zoning district would allow everyone to participate 
as a caregiver, he said, since certain restrictions such as proximity 
to local schools could cause people to not participate.

"Obviously, the attorney and I don't support that effort," Keery said 
of allowing caregivers to operate outside of the residential district.

She said their interpretation is that it isn't allowed by state law 
to be in the transitional industrial or industrial districts, which 
could open up the city to a potential lawsuit.

Along with only being allowed in the residential district, some of 
the regulations in the recommended ordinance include: having medical 
marijuana only be permitted in the home of the permitted caregiver, 
only one caregiver would be allowed to exist per dwelling, the 
medical marijuana would have to be grown in the dwelling and no 
caregiver could have more than five patients. Caregivers would also 
be required to register with the Michigan Department of Community 
Health and the city's Planning Department.

"This would have helped my wife at the time she was suffering," said 
Planning Commissioner John Ringelberg, whose wife died in 2001 after 
a bout with cancer. "But we want to do this right."

Among his concerns with the new ordinance, Ringelberg said, is where 
the medical marijuana would come from. He made sure the ordinance 
spelled out that the medical marijuana was grown and processed at the 
caregivers' facilities.

The Planning Commission had scheduled a public hearing for Tuesday 
night's meeting, but there was no comment from the audience and Keery 
said she hadn't received any correspondence from Grand Haven citizens 
on the issue.

Along with making sure language was correct when sending the 
recommendation to City Council, planning commissioners also wanted to 
make sure residents were informed about the ordinance if City Council 
approves revised language.

Kauth said the city needed to give "due diligence" to make sure those 
that would want to be caregivers were notified that they had to 
register with the state as well as the city. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake