PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP EXTENDS MEDICAL MARIJUANA MORATORIUM

Plainfield Township is in "wait and see mode" when it comes to
addressing planning and zoning issues presented by the Michigan
Medical Marihuana Act (MMMA), said Community Development Director Bill
Fisher.

"Communities are waiting on a statewide basis for judges to make some
clarifications on the law," Fisher said.

On March 15, Plainfield Township Board members passed a six-month
moratorium on permits or licenses for the sale or dispersal of medical
marijuana. And on Sept. 7, the board extended that moratorium for
another six months until March of 2011.

Fisher said the township has not been approached by any groups wishing
to open marijuana cooperatives or dispensaries like other local
communities have.

"If anything, there have been some conversations with individuals,
medical marijuana patients or caregivers, just inquiring what the
status (of a possible zoning ordinance) is," he said. "We are willing
to get going on this and will, but with all the ambiguities and the
lack of clarity in the law it wouldn't be in our best interests to
just get something in the books."

In January, Grand Rapids amended its zoning ordinance to regulate the
relationship between medical marijuana caregivers and patients as a
home-based business and in August, Greenville did the same.

Other municipalities also have passed moratoriums, while others still
have banned the dispersal and sale of medical marijuana.