By Dean Vaglia
Leader Staff Writer
The Oxford Township Board of Trustees met for its monthly meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 9. Topics discussed include committee recommendations, fire department expansion and medical marijuana.

Medical marijuana punted
Two agenda items regulating medical marijuana businesses in the township were removed from the agenda following the distribution of flyers with false information regarding the agenda items.
The two items, which are removed indefinitely, are a slate of zoning ordinance amendments from the Planning Commission that regulate how and where medical marijuana high-capacity growers (limited to 72 plants) and provisioning centers (selling only to prescribed patients) could operate, and amendments to ordinance 132 to allow medical marijuana facilities per the PC’s regulations. No provisioning centers or growers are approved by the items.
The flyer in question, which lacks any indication of who sent and/or distributed it, falsely states the board is “leaning toward allowing six marijuana retail facilities on M-24.” Only the village has allowed and approved recreational marijuana retailers.
Even with the removal of the medical marijuana agenda items, 12 spoke against or were skeptical of the items. Though their statements were influenced by the flyers, many were generally opposed to marijuana. Treasurer Joe Ferrari spoke in the trustee comments period that he is generally opposed to marijuana and he would vote against any proposed legislation regarding it.
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, the only precinct to reject the 2018 initiative, did so by a margin of 10 votes (905 “yes” to 915 “no.”)

Frank Lenz resolution
The board honored Oakland County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) Lt. Frank Lenz for the “high degree of professionalism, expertise, sensitivity and integrity” he brought to his role as the Oxford Township substation second-in-command from June 2016 to January 2022.
“It has been an honor to work for all of you and with all of you,” Lenz said. “It was a true honor.”
Lenz moved to the Rochester Hills substation while Sgt. Ric Meza assumed the role of Oxford Township’s second-in-command in January.

Second reading
The board approved the second reading for Zoning Ordinance 67A.027, which changes the minimum width of the driveway segment perpendicular to a side-entry garage at 25 feet or 24 feet if the lot width is 80 feet or less. It also sets the minimum setback for private driveways at 4 feet from side property lines or 3 feet if the lot width is 90 feet or less.

Fire department north site update
Trustee Jonathan Nold shared an update from the committee working on the 3.25-acre lot in the northern half of the township set aside for the Oxford Fire Department. The committee, which includes Nold and Assistant Fire Chief Matthew Majestic, came up with a two-phase approach to the lot.
The first phase will turn the lot into a refilling depot for fire trucks in the north of Oxford by installing a well and gravel to drive on, as well as a new emergency crossover and entrances to the site. The estimated cost for phase one is $355,333.
Phase Two involves constructing a building on the site and paving the gravel, though there are no estimated costs for Phase Two.

Committee recommendations
The board voted 6-1 to approve the use of $350,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds on the radios and the third site for the fire department ($100,000), cemetery maintenance ($100,000) and the construction of safety paths along Ray Rd. ($150,000). Trustee Rod Charles provided the lone “no” vote and asked if the board could come up with more “creative” uses for ARPA funds like electric vehicle charging stations.