CORUNNA APPROVES MARIJUANA MORATORIUM

CORUNNA -- The City Council Monday approved a six-month moratorium on
permits or licenses for those hoping to open up medical
marijuana-related businesses in the city.

The moratorium will give the city council and the planning commission
six months to look into potential modifications to the code of
ordinances that may establish regulations to control the sale and
dispensation of medical marijuana, according to the resolution.

"There are several grey areas that have been pointed out that
different communities are struggling with," City Manager Joe Sawyer
said, adding these grey areas are creating difficulties for local
communities that are trying to grasp how medical marijuana businesses
fit into local zoning. "It has to do with where can this be sold,
under what conditions, what terms, what zoning does it belong in."

But the moratorium isn't intended to stop medical marijuana
prescription holders from using the substance under the guidelines of
state law, Sawyer said.

"Whether you like them or not, whether you're for them or against
them, that's a totally separate issue," Sawyer said. "Local government
is not trying to undo what's been done on the state level or by the
voters, but we do have authority when it comes to zoning."

At Monday's meeting, council member Mike Sarrazin said medicinal
marijuana is an "upcoming" issue that has become a prominent topic in
many areas.

"Everyone that has an ache or a pain wants to get medicinal marijuana,
and there are all kinds of people that want to grow it. And that is
allowed under state law -- to be a practitioner or be a primary care
giver to produce this for a certain amount of clients," Sarrazin said.
"It was too early for us just to run rib shot and throw together rules
and regulations to try to regulate this."

Additionally, Sawyer noted the Owosso City Council also was scheduled
to discuss putting a moratorium on medical marijuana establishments at
their Monday meeting.