The Wayland City Planning Commission Tuesday evening held preliminary discussions about an ordinance regulating the growing, sale, processing and distribution of marijuana within the city limits.
City Manager Josh Eggleston said he has been crafting the proposed ordinance, which he said he modeled on rules adopted by the municipalities of Allegan, Lapeer and Clare.
He said he examined many other ordinances, but “I liked their language the best.
Wayland isn’t anywhere close to being the first to consider such an ordinance after voters statewide approved a ballot initiative with 56 percent affirmative. In the city, the vote was 58 percent in favor.
Eggleston said it’s too late to take on concerns about the substance, which was illegal for many years.
“Moral turpitude is an uncomfortable way to govern,” he said. “The legality issue was settled in 2018 (with passage of the ballot proposal).”
Yet in Zoning Administrator Lor Castello’s coverage area, the City of Allegan is the lone municipality that has such a local ordinance.
During deliberations, it was decided zoning issues for marijuana should be determined by special use permit. Those establishments that grow and process would make requests for industrial zoning while sales and distribution would be limited to business (B-1 and B-2) districts.
“I don’t think we should restrict the number of businesses in the city,” the city manager said. “The market should dictate that.”
He also maintained that of the city insists marijuana facilities not come within 1,000 feet of schools or churches, it would severaly limit where they could go.
There were other comments made about dumpsters, odor, penalties for offenses and lighting requirements.
However, no decision was made and Eggleston said he will bring to the commission a proposed ordinance ahead of any plans for a public hearing.
In other business Tuesday evening, the commission:
• Recommended to the City Council an application for a text amendment from Award Enterprises LLC to increase the density permitted for townhouse-style multi-family residential structures.
• Approved a special use permit request from Gavin Klaver, to allow him to construct and operate a contractor’s yard in the industrial district at 1105 133rd Ave., across the street from Woodham’s.