Though 56% of voters last November approved a state-wide ballot issue legalizing recreational marijuana, virtually all local municipalities have been voting to opt out of permitting the buying and selling of the substance until the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) provides guidelines.

The City of Wayland was the latest in northeast Allegan County to opt out, as the City Council Monday night voted unanimously to disallow dispensaries and the cultivation and distribution of marijuana. LARA was given 12 months to come up with guidelines. Adopted was an ordinance prohibiting marijuana establishments in the city.

City Manager Josh Eggleston stressed that the city can revisit the issue of buying and selling within the city limits after LARA issues rules.

“A lot of communities done the temporary opt out,” Eggleston said. “We need to look at what the city wants and encourage input from the voters.”

Voters in the City of Wayland supported the legalization of recreational marijuana with 58% percent approving the ballot issue on Nov. 6. A whopping 63 percent of voters statewide approved the legalization of medical use of marijuana in 2008.

In other business at Monday night’s meeting, the council:

• Said good-bye to Police Chief Steve Harper, who is leaving to take a post with his church in Ottawa County. It really isn’t clear if Feb. 18 was his last meeting because negotiations with and background checks of his successor, Mark Garnsey are continuing.

• Agreed to have a vote next meeting on whether to apply for a Michigan Department Transportation grant for small cities’ street projects. City Engineer Mickey Bittner commented, “There are more upsides than downsides” in the grant, which has a 50-50 match.