SWARTZ CREEK PLANNING COMMISSION TO REVIEW ZONING ORDINANCE ON
Medical Marijuana

SWARTZ CREEK, Michigan - City Planning Commission members will look
over a zoning ordinance regulating medical marijuana businesses after
the holidays.

City attorney Paul Bueche said the council has been in discussions
with Flint attorney Mike Gildner on how to best handle the zoning of
possible dispensaries and growing facilities.

The proposed ordinance to be discussed by the commission at its Jan.
4 meeting includes stipulations that do not allow dispensaries or
growing facilities within 500 feet of each other.

Both facilities also must not fall within 1,000 feet or schools,
churches or public and municipal parks, while hours of operation for
dispensaries and growing facilities must fall between 8 a.m. and 8
p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.

The proposed ordinance is similar to one just recommended by Burton's
planning commission. The Burton City Council will vote on that
ordinance in January.

Regulations on medical marijuana businesses are being handled by the
planning commission, Bueche said, because they require special land
use permits that fall within the heavy industrial zoning district.

Medical marijuana businesses also must be located inside a fully
enclosed structure, employees must have a valid registry card,
security equipment is necessary on the buildings and people younger
than 18 are not allowed on the premises, unless they have a registry card.

Bueche stated the rules and regulations don't affect "the legality of
those places operating at all," but they are being contemplated so
businesses are "regulated correctly."

Police Chief Rick Clolinger has said he hopes an ordinance would
control marijuana businesses, as rules for any other business would.

Bueche commented he doesn't want to have one dispensary housing eight
or nine caretakers but having just two parking spaces and causing
headaches for the drivers or residents in a particular area.