Meridian Township And Two Cities in Eaton County Are Thinking About Starting Marijuana Businesses!

More than three years after Michigan legalized the sale of recreational marijuana, Meridian Township, Charlotte, and Potterville in the Greater Lansing area are exploring allowing marijuana shops to operate there. The decision to allow recreational marijuana outlets would bring in thousands of dollars for each municipality. Despite the fact that conversations among authorities in the municipalities are at various levels.

The Michigan Regulation of Marijuana and Taxes Act establishes a fund from sales of recreational marijuana and distributes it to local governments that permit marijuana businesses. The state treasury will reveal the totals for 2022 next month, but in 2021, each legal cannabis business in the state generated $56,000 in revenue, up from $28,000 the year before.

According to the state treasury department, Lansing and East Lansing earned more than $1 million for their combined 19 establishments. Meridian Township would become the only municipality in Ingham County to permit recreational marijuana retailers if officials there choose to follow Lansing and East Lansing’s lead.

Skymint Brands, a cannabis corporation, has its headquarters in Windsor Township in Eaton County, where marijuana processing and producing facilities are legal. Potentially the first local governments in the county to approve recreational stores are Charlotte and Potterville. Below is an overview of the situation in each of the three communities:

Charlotte Await a Draft Ordinance

Branden Dyer, a councilman for Charlotte, has been pushing for a “restricted number” of dispensaries selling marijuana for recreational purposes for some time. “I think we’re ideally positioned for the marijuana industry being along (Interstate) 69 between Lansing and Battle Creek,” Branden Dyer said. There is no location for a marijuana dispensary along I-69 between Lansing and Battle Creek, whether you’re a resident or a visitor.

Although earlier city councils opposed legalizing them, Dyer claimed that a number of officials are now willing to examine it, and Charlotte might fill that hole. At this moment, “I think there are enough votes to pass it,” he said. Since January, the move has been discussed by Charlotte officials. The City Council instructed officials to create an ordinance permitting marijuana companies earlier this month.

In April, they may review it. What kinds of marijuana businesses would be permitted to run in the city and where they could open shops are still unknown. Limits on the quantity, size and placement of stores may be imposed by municipalities. Michael Armitage, the mayor of Charlotte, said he wasn’t “necessarily supportive” of letting them live in the city a year ago.

Although he is not certain they should be permitted to open in the city’s downtown, he is now willing to accept marijuana businesses. Armitage remarked, “I would like to hear more from the downtown community. Owner of Sidestreets Delicatessen on South Cochran Avenue in the center of the city.

Dave McNamara said he is not against marijuana shops but he is unsure of the potential effects their closeness may have on his establishment. According to McNamara, “I’m not in the business of putting my business next to anything that would scare my consumers away.” “Will a marijuana shop turn off my customers? I’m not sure whether it would or not.”

Meridian Township Board Discussions Ongoing

Last year, residents of Meridian Township rejected a complete prohibition of marijuana companies. In certain parts of the township, medical marijuana is legal with the appropriate permits and licenses. Neither active licenses nor open medical marijuana facilities exist. According to Tim Schmitt, director of community planning and development for the township.

The Planning Commission “submitted a positive recommendation to allow recreational marijuana companies to the township board” in January, but it’s unclear when authorities will vote on whether to approve them. They have been discussing it for the past two to three sessions and will keep doing so until they are ready to act, he said.

Potterville Hosts First Community Forum

Brandy Miller, the Potterville city’s zoning administrator, said the city’s officials were forced to take the petitions’ frequency—three in the last three years—into consideration. According to Miller, at least one of those petitions was put on the ballot in 2020 and failed by just 11% of the votes cast.

She expressed concern that petitions will continue to be submitted as long as marijuana businesses are prohibited in the city of Potterville. “The city wants to talk with the residents about why this is happening and what we should do.” Miller stated that the Planning Commission of Potterville held its first “public chat” on Tuesday and that there will be another on March 21.

She stated that no draft ordinance text had been created and that the procedure would include holding public hearings. Any item advocated would eventually come to City Council’s vote. According to Miller, “I think the planning commission is asking for the public to drive which way they travel.”