GIBRALTAR: CITY ADOPTS ORDINANCES ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA, FILM INDUSTRY

GIBRALTAR - City officials debated the need and extent of ordinances
regulating the film and medical marijuana industries recently.

Both ordinances were adopted by the City Council.

The medical marijuana, or "Prohibited Business Activity," ordinance,
received its first reading after Police Chief Raymond Canterbury
proposed guidelines to keep large medical marijuana growing and
selling operations out of the city.

Medical marijuana, legalized in Michigan after a public referendum,
still is illegal under federal law. Mayor James Gorris said that in
discussions with other Downriver communities, no one particularly
liked how the new Michigan law had been written.

He said he expected that a challenge to it would lead to a court
ruling clarifying the matter on a state level and possibly even a
federal ruling. Gorris wanted the city to be covered until then.

"This is for us the most-appropriate law in our city at this time,"
he said. "It lets us wait until the dust settles on the law."

Cassandra Booms of the city attorney's office pointed out that the
ordinance would not affect caregivers.

Councilman Scott Ross, who opposed the measure, said that a majority
of Michigan residents voted in 2008 to legalize medical marijuana and
that the city should be careful on how it deals with related business
in the community.

Councilman Jesus Garza also offered business concerns, both with the
marijuana ordinance and a film industry ordinance proposal.

"By creating more barriers, we are making it harder to draw in
business," he said.

The film ordinance, proposed by City Administrator Mark Kibby, would
cover requirements for the film industry to do business in Gibraltar.
Kibby said that it is very similar to an ordinance in Trenton, with
some additions from one in Riverview.

Garza had concerns that the permit fee that companies would have to
pay to film in the city might become a deterrent. Kibby said that it
didn't seem to be one in other communities.

Gorris said that an ordinance would allow the city to block certain
types of activities, such as filming a high-speed chase in a canal,
but Garza said there already is an ordinance in place for that.

Councilwoman Kathleen LaPointe said that the ordinance would serve as
protection in case the film company did something without informing
the city. She added that other businesses have to have permits to
operate in the city.

The "Prohibited Business Activity" ordinance was adopted, 5-2, with
Garza and Ross voting no. Garza was the sole holdout against a
proposed film ordinance.

In earlier action, leaders received the city's annual audit from the
firm Plante & Moran last month. While the news was positive for the
short term, representatives from the firm painted a gloomy picture
for the next few years.

Plante & Moran cited year-over-year losses of state-shared revenue:
Gibraltar has gone from $485,000 in 2003 to $353,000 in 2010. In
addition, property tax revenue won't start rising again for several years.

On the plus side, the city was able to balance its budget
successfully this fiscal year, though the methods used - including a
change in retiree health care providers - is not necessarily
sustainable, said Beth Bailey of Plante & Moran.

She added that the city needs to do more to address the structured
deficit, defined as the simple costs of running the city.

Changes, such as adding a formal payment system for retiree health
costs, could save the city money and help balance the budget each
year, said Bill Brickey of Plante & Moran.

Gorris said that the council would try to work together to resolve
these issues.

Along those lines, the council approved an agreement with Riverview
to receive money from an energy-efficiency block grant to upgrade
light fixtures and exit signs at the community center with
energy-efficient ones.

The project's overall cost is expected to be approximately $17,690,
with the Downtown Development Authority providing about $1,838 in
matching money.