The Oxford Village Planning Commission will host a public hearing to consider the latest draft of the proposed Adult Use Marijuana Zoning Ordinance Amendment on Dec. 17 at 7 p.m.
The Planning Commission will receive public input on regulations to prohibit or allow adult use (recreational) marijuana businesses in Oxford Village.
The Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act, which allows growth, purchase and possession of marijuana by adults 21 years of age or older, was initiated into law Dec. 6, 2018 after Michigan voters passed Proposition 1 on Nov. 6, 2018.
The law allows local municipalites to ban or regulate recreational marijuana businesses. The Village has enacted a temporary ban on marijuana business while it drafts an ordinance. The ban expires on June 30, 2020.
The commission has devoted one meeting per month to drafting the ordinance since July.
An attorney recently reviewed the four-page ordinance’s language. Village planner Mario Ortega presented the attorney’s hand-written remarks for discussion at the commission’s Nov. 19 meeting.
“Changes were minimal and in large part grammatical, regarding inconsistent terminology or for more specific wording,” according to the meeting’s minutes.
The proposed ordinance permits only six types of marijuana business facilities: marijuana grower, marijuana microbusiness, marijuana processor, marijuana retailer, marijuana safety compliance facility and marijuana secure transporter. All other marijuana facilities are prohibited.
Smoking, inhalation or consumption of marijuana is prohibited on the premises of any marijuana facility.
There are also specific restrictions on location in Oxford Village. Facilities will only be permitted on land whose front lot line is the Glaspie St., Industrial Drive or Drahner Road right-of-way line and are located in the I-1 Industrial zoning district.
Facilities must also maintain a 500-foot buffer with child care facilities, schools and public parks, and a 100-foot buffer with other marijuana facilities.
Marijuana retailers can only be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Facilities must have an adequate security plan. All rooms that contain marijuana must be individually locked. Buildings must have security cameras operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week and must keep the record of the prior 120 continuous hours of operation.
Facilities must be licensed by the Marijuana Regulatory Agency of the State of Michigan.
The public hearing draft of the ordinance is available on the Village’s website, thevillageofoxford.org.
The hearing will take place in the Village Council Chambers at 22. Burdick St.
Members of the public wishing to comment are encouraged to attend. Comments may also be mailed to Village of Oxford Clerk, P.O. Box 94, Oxford, Michigan or emailed to clerk@thevillageofoxford.org.