Battle Creek City Commission To Discuss Legal Pot Sales Tonight

The Battle Creek City Commission tonight is set to get down to business on potential legalized marijuana sales for adults. Commissioners will review and possibly vote on six types of licenses for legal pot sales in the city.

Background:

In 2008, the state passed a law legalizing medical marijuana for qualifying patients licensed by the State of Michigan. That law did not authorize the sale of medical marijuana and it limited a qualifying patient to obtaining the marijuana by either growing the permitted quantity of marijuana on his or her own, or obtaining it through their authorized caregiver connected directly to that patient in accordance with state procedures.

Then in 2016 the state legislature authorized the commercial sale of medical marijuana through a strictly regulated system with licenses being authorized by the State's Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Division for five different "facility licenses." The state law required that applicants would only be permitted a license if the proposed facility were located in a municipality that had specifically authorized whatever type of facility the applicant sought to be licensed. Municipalities could choose to authorize none, one, or more up to the five types of facilities.

Last February, the Battle Creek city ordinances were amended to permit Medical Marijuana Facilities to be operated in the city and to provide regulation.

After conducting several workshops and studying the issue, the Battle Creek City Commission requested that a licensing ordinance be presented to permit and regulate adult use marijuana establishments within the City, as well as a zoning ordinance setting out those areas where the authorized marijuana establishments would be a permitted use. The proposed ordinance authorizes six types of marijuana establishments, but prohibits Special Licenses, at this time.