Pubdate: Mon, 29 Dec 2014
Source: Oakland Press, The (MI)
Copyright: 2014 The Oakland Press
Contact:  http://www.theoaklandpress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2114
Author: Paul Kampe

Rochester

MEDICAL MARIJUANA ORDINANCE APPROVED BY COUNCIL FOR CITY

The City of Rochester recently passed a medical marijuana ordinance 
to regulate the activity in the city of nearly 4 square miles. City 
Council unanimously adopted the measure at its Dec. 15 meeting after 
roughly three months of drafting. The measure designates industrial 
areas on the south side of the city for any potential licensed 
medical marijuana growing operations. "We're required to provide a 
place for the legal use of medical marijuana," City Manager Jaymes 
Vettraino said. "We've been diligent to make sure it's the right 
place and the right use for our community." The ordinance was modeled 
after other communities' efforts to regulate medicinal marijuana, 
such as nearby Auburn Hills and a handful of other municipalities, 
Vettraino added.

"We're somewhere in the middle," he said. "We used other communities 
as a guideline." The city does not currently nor has it in the past 
been home to any such operations, but leaders have received 
"occasional calls" inquiring about the city's regulation of the 
activity, Vettraino The City of Rochester passed an ordinance 
regulating medical marijuana. added. However, no medical marijuana 
operations are planned in the city. The ordinance does not allow for 
the distribution of medical marijuana to anyone other than licensed 
patients. It also forbids home-based medical marijuana businesses, 
Vettraino added.

Vettraino said a regional medical marijuana attorney complimented 
city leaders for the ordinance's detail at a Dec. 8 meeting.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom