Atlas Twp.-The township board will consider a moratorium on a medical marijuana ordinance, allowing time for local officials to establish regulations before growers come to the community.
‘The moratorium is necessary to put on hold land use until the planners can develop regulations to control the use (of land) for the public good,? said Rick Misek, township planning commission chairman ‘It’s not discriminatory against anyone, right now there are no applications in the works regarding the medical marijuana. But when that request comes up, we’ll have an ordinance in place.?
The issue will be discussed at 7 p.m., April 19 during the general township board of trustees meeting.
On Nov. 4, 2008, Michigan voters approved by 63 percent the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act. The law went into effect Dec. 4, 2008. The conditions for the law include treatment of debilitating medical conditions, including cancer, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS, hepatitis C, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, agitation of Alzheimer’s disease, nail patella, cachexia or wasting syndrome, severe and chronic pain, severe nausea, seizures, epilepsy, muscle spasms, and multiple sclerosis. There are 14 states that allow medical marijuana.
According to the state regulation, patients may possess up to two and one-half (2.5) ounces of usable marijuana and 12 marijuana plants kept in an enclosed, locked facility. The 12 plants may be kept by the patient only if he or she has not specified a primary caregiver to cultivate the marijuana for him or her.
Last month, the Richfield Township board, located north of Davison, unanimously approved a medical marijuana ordinance regulating where dispensaries can be established in the community. According to Richfield Township officials, the board adopted a zoning ordinance March 9 that applies to sites where three or more primary caregivers grow, cultivate, store, dispense or offer marijuana for sale to qualifying patients under the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act of 2008.
Misek admits there are a few challenges in the marijuana ordinance.
‘I understand the opposition, but we’re not going to be drug central. We will be contending with a commercial activity’a very specific type of commercial activity that truly lends itself to a health park. It’s going to be in a commercial district where there’s traffic all the time. This will be a perfectly legal use’a ‘pot head? can’t go in there and buy. There’s going to be a doctor’s prescription needed.?
While the Richfield Township Medical Marijuana Ordinance takes into consideration proximity to schools and churches, Misek said he considers the business similar to a medical facility.
‘Right now, if a doctor’s office is next door to a school or church it really does not matter. Kids are not going over and grabbing syringes. It’s no different with marijuana, which will be locked up. We have to allow the use of marijuana, the state voters say so, but we can regulate where it goes in our community’it’s going to be in a commercial district.?