Members of the Wayland City Planning Commission had considerable discussion Tuesday night about prospects for allowing the growing, processing, transportation and sale of recreational marijuana, which was legalized in November 2018.
Some members said they were uncomfortable with only discussing the issue and expressed a preference for deciding once and for all in a timely fashion.
City Manager Josh Eggleston said the City Council still wants to have public meetings listening to the pros and cons of the proposal.
We’re not debating this issue tonight,” he said. “This is a discussion.”
Commission Chairman JD Gonzales said, “Reasonable people can look at the pros and the cons, but why drag this thing out?”
The city manager said he believes that if he were to craft an ordinance permitting dispensaries and other marijuana-related activities, he feared it would not not be approved by the city, which last summer decided to temporarily opt out of the program to buy more time.
When responding to a comment that voters city-wide approved legalizing recreational marijuana with 56% of the vote, Eggleston pointed out that the City of South Haven’s voters gave recreational marijuana the nod but a separate issue to approve dispensaries was defeated.
Commissioner Gary Ragan said, “The city is going to gain some money no matter what, so why don’t we get ahead of this?”
City Councilman Rick Mathis, who was in the audience during the meeting, said, “We have to make sure we do our due diligence and make the best possible decision.”
In other business Tuesday evening, the commission:
- Decided against proceeding any further with a proposed ordinance amendment permitting front yard parking. The proposal was drafted by Heather Mitchell of Professional Code Inspections.
Gonzales said. “I am not in favor of this amendment. I don’t think this helps the city aesthetically.”
Commissioner Virgil Gleason echoed his sentiments, saying, “It would take away from the asthetic appeal of the property” and it would create parking speace headaches at residences.
- Agreed to have a public hearing on a special use permit request from Mike Salisbury, who wants to have an addition built on the garage at the property of Penny Salisbury for her to have a residence.
Mitchell said PCI’s main problem with the request down the road is that it could eventually turn into rental blight because future users might not keep up the rental property.
Ragan also expressed opposition, saying, “I don’t want to see pole barns in my neighborhood turned into residences.”
