By Dean Vaglia
Leader Staff Writer
The Oxford Township Board of Trustees will begin voting on whether to allow regulated medical marijuana businesses at its Wednesday, Feb. 9 meeting (tonight.)
The decision will be made by voting on amendments to two ordinances. The first are zoning ordinance amendments from the Planning Commission regulating medical marijuana businesses, the second are amendments to Ordinance 132 allowing medical marijuana businesses per the Planning Commission’s regulations.
The Planning Commission’s amendments allow medical marijuana growing facilities in industrial zones and provisioning centers in four commercial zones designated as “Marihuana Provisioning Overlay” (MPO) districts along M-24.
The southernmost MPO district is between Drahner Rd. and Teelin Dr. Another district is located around Oakdell St. and Minnetonka Dr. beside where many village marijuana businesses are located. There is a district between Church and Market streets immediately north of the village, and the northernmost district is a thin strip beside where Metamora Rd. intersects M-24.
The description for the MPO districts states their purpose as “[protecting] the health, safety, and general welfare of persons and property by limiting land uses related to distribution to those areas most compatible with the uses.”
“[The overlay districts] were spots township officials identified as areas that have been challenging to develop for one reason or another,” Zach Michels, township planner, said. “Either the lots are really tricky or the buildings are really old. Part of the intent with the township is to use the provisioning centers as a tool to encourage and foster redevelopment of those areas.”
Limiting provisioning centers to the M-24 corridor is intended to reduce the likelihood of theft and other crimes.
While there is no stated limit on how many provisioning licenses can be awarded, provisioning centers must be separated by at least 1,250 feet and can only operate in the four MPO districts. Provisioning centers are allowed one wall sign while growing facilities cannot display exterior signage or advertising. All facilities require surveillance systems.
Growing facilities require a filtration system to keep odors from escaping and can grow up to 72 plants. State law allows non-commercial growers to have up to 12 plants. Parties seeking to grow more than 12 plants need approval from the township.
Marijuana businesses can operate from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., cannot allow unaccompanied persons under 18-years-old into their facility and cannot sell either alcohol or tobacco products. No recreational growers or dispensaries are allowed under the regulations.
The amendments will have a first reading at the Feb. 9 meeting and a second reading at the March meeting if approved.
No provisioners or growers are currently approved to operate in the township and the amendments do not approve anyone, but interest has been expressed by groups looking to operate in Oxford.
“I have not gotten any direct calls recently, but I do know there have been calls to other township officials and I have received emails over the past two years or so from folks who are looking for what they could do,” Michels said.
According to Oakland County election records, Oxford Township voters supported both the 2008 medical marijuana and 2018 recreational marijuana ballot initiatives. All precincts voted “yes” in 2008 and six out of seven precincts voted “yes” in 2018. Precinct 3, where the Oakdell St. and Minnetonka Dr. overlay is located, voted “no” to the 2018 initiative by a margin of 10 votes (905 “yes” to 915 “no.”)
With the statewide laws regarding legal marijuana being relatively new, much attention was given to the ways municipalities have approached the laws over the past 14 years.
“We looked at several different communities, but really what is being proposed is a hybrid of many of them,” Hans Rentrop, a lawyer working with the township on marijuana legislation, said. “We have tried to take the best aspects of various communities and create something that is unique and beneficial for Oxford.”