GRAND RAPIDS DENIES ONLY APPLICANT FOR HOME-BASED MEDICAL MARIJUANA LICENSE

GRAND RAPIDS -- Several months after the city required medical
marijuana growers to become licensed as home-based businesses, no
licenses have been issued.

The only applicant for a license was denied last month, according to
information obtained by The Press under the Freedom of Information Act.

Is the ordinance too restrictive, shutting out would-be growers -- or
caregivers -- who want to serve the state's 45,800 card-carrying
medical marijuana patients?

I think it's too early to tell," said City Clerk Lauri Parks, whose
office denied the application.

Parks denied the application under the city's zoning ordinance, which
treats medical marijuana growers as a home-based business requiring
inspections and a $224 license.

Bruce Block, a lawyer who specializes in the emerging field of
medical marijuana law, said he's not surprised Grand Rapids' new
ordinance has no takers.

I think it's driven people out of the city if that was the intent,"
Block said. "The issue is no one wants to stick their necks out. The
fish that jumps out of the water gets caught in the net."

People are going to look at what are considered more favorable
counties and cities."

One city resident featured in an earlier Press article about medical
marijuana growers, said he has gotten out of the business rather than
comply with the city's business license requirements.

Grand Rapids has made it pretty clear they don't want us," he said.

The sole applicant for the Grand Rapids license failed to jump
through a number of hoops, according to the Dec. 16 denial letter.

The applicant, who name and address were crossed out by the City
Attorney's Office, does not live at the Southeast Side home where the
marijuana was to be grown, the letter said.

Also, the applicant did not adequately prove ownership of the house
nor did the applicant prove they had permission of the home's owner
to grow marijuana, the letter said.

Since the police had reports of prior incidents involving illegal
drug activity at the house, Parks' office also asked the applicants
to verify when they lived in the house and when they held an
ownership interest in the house.

Although the state law prevents law enforcement officials from
obtaining the name of caregivers and prevents local officials from
making the disclosures, Parks said her office shared the address with
the police department as part of their routine background checks for
business licenses.

They are applying for a business license with the city of Grand
Rapids," she said.

The Fire Department also had "several outstanding safety issues that
need to be resolved," the denial letter said. Building and electrical
permits needed for the improvements also had not been pulled.

The proposed growing rooms in the house also were not secured with
locks -- a requirement of the state law governing medical marijuana,
the letter said.

The applicant had 10 days to appeal after the denial letter was
issued on Dec. 16.

So far, they have not heard from the applicant again, Parks said.