Traverse City Approves Marijuana Regulations

Traverse City, MI — New regulations that dictate when and where city residents can grow and distribute medical marijuana could be changed if problems arise.
City commissioners on Monday gave final approval to a new ordinance that regulates land-use issues tied to the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act. It takes effect Aug. 26.
The ordinance allows for cultivation of up to 72 marijuana plants in single-family homes, and that concerns those who believe such activity could degrade the city’s residential neighborhoods. But commissioners weren’t ready to rule out residential growth.
“This law is not set in concrete,” Mayor Pro-Tem Ralph Soffredine said. “We can bring it back to the table, and we can tweak it and do what we want to do with it. But we need to give it a chance.”
The Michigan Medical Marijuana act, approved in 2008, allows patients to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and 12 plants. It also allows designated caregivers to grow and distribute plants to up to five patients.
But the act doesn’t specify where or when patients and caregivers can grow or exchange marijuana, so municipalities across the state were left to decide for themselves.
The new ordinance doesn’t affect the amount of plants a patient can have under state law, or the number of plants a caregiver can grow or distribute.
It instead specifies where legal marijuana-related activity can occur within city limits.
City resident Julia Wagner told commissioners she’s uncomfortable with marijuana growth in residential districts.
She voted in favor of medical marijuana, but assumed it would be closely regulated and available only at pharmacies.
“I had no idea that this could invade my neighborhood,” she said.
Her view was shared by Adrienne Rossi, a Central Neighborhood resident who called marijuana growth “extremely unhealthy for our residential neighborhoods.”
Pro-medical marijuana activists countered that residential growth allows patients easier and safer access to the drug.
Current residential growth hasn’t led to significant problems, they said, and the city could expose itself to potential litigation if it tries to prevent residents from exercising a right afforded under state law.
The ordinance allows for cultivation in excess of 72 plants in industrial districts, provided the cultivation facility owner obtains a license from the city.
It also allows for medical marijuana “collectives” in most commercial districts of the city.
Any medical marijuana that fits within the confines of the Medical Marijuana Act can change hands in such collectives, but growing isn’t allowed there.

Source: Traverse City Record-Eagle (MI)
Author: Art Bukowski
Published: August 17, 2010
Copyright: 2010 The Traverse City Record-Eagle
Contact: letters@record-eagle.com
Website: http://www.record-eagle.com/