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COUNCIL EXTENDS MORATORIUM ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES

The Ypsilanti City Council approved a moratorium, which prohibits licenses to sell or dispense medical marijuana for another 60 days. 

The temporary suspension was set to expire in mid-February and will now end April 1.  It was designed to give city staff more time to finish working out the details concerning policies. 

Michigan's Medical Marihuana Act was passed in 2008 by more than 60 percent of the state's voters.  Since it was approved, municipalities throughout the state have been given the task of creating policies and processes regarding the facilities. 

"It's been a real task that was handed to us by the state without a lot of direction and we've had to do the best we can," said Mayor Paul Schreiber after Tuesday night's meeting. 

After a lengthy discussion, Council gave first approval to a resolution for the medical marijuana licensing ordinance.  It was passed 4-3. 

Schreiber said he was happy with the outcome of the meeting and that the first reading of the ordinance was passed.  It was previously tabled at the Jan.  11 meeting. 

"We're moving ahead," he said. 

The second reading will occur at the Feb.  15 meeting.  If given a second approval, applicants will have 45 days before they can try to get a license. 

The ordinance lays out the process to obtain the one-year, non-transferable license.  The policy is similar to other permits. 

City Planner Teresa Gillotti discussed the ordinance with Council, with members giving suggestions for modifications. 

Those included situations when the $2,500 application fee should be made non-refundable and not requiring a facility's floor plan in the applicaton. 

A number of modifications suggested by Councilman Brian Robb were not supported by other members of Council.  Some of those included modifying the section that prohibits felons to have a license and removing the requirement for proof of fire damage insurance

City Attorney John Barr said that was a requirement because it was for the protection of the public. 

"That was the rationale," he said. 

After the completed applications are received, Gillotti will set up a team to go through them. 

An appeal process is also included for use when a license is revoked or denied.  The matter would be given to the clerk's office and sent to Council for a decision. 

Those who violate the ordinance would be subjected to a misdemeanor and could receive a maximum of 90 days in jail along with a fine of no more than $500. 

Two other resolutions dealing with medical marijuana were withdrawn and will be read at the next meeting.  Those dealt with the licensing process and licensing fee, respectively.