The Hastings City Council Monday asked its Attorney Stephanie Fekkes to write a draft ordinance for them to look at to decide if they want to prevent medical and recreational marijuana facilities and establishments from locating in the city.
The move would keep any such businesses from getting a “toe hold’ in the city during the time local officials wait for clarifying regulations on recreational marijuana to come from the state. If they opt out, they can opt back in at any time if they decide to, City Manager Jeff Mansfield said.
If the city doesn’t ban the businesses, and one sets up shop while the city waits for clarifications, the business may claim they are an established business that is “grandfathered” in.
The draft ordinance is centered on businesses, not individuals, who can legally grow and exchange the drug, he said.
Fekkes said some will say they are going against the will of the majority of voters who approved the use of recreational marijuana or, “voters allowed this.” However, communities are saying “we need a breather here, to get the regulations in place so we can zone appropriately for them. If the community allows them in after the fact, at least it is based on thoughtful zoning and regulation as opposed to someone coming in before you’re able to establish them.”
The latest available figures showed 113 Michigan communities have taken the route of opting out. Fekkes suggested a draft ordinance for the council to look at to consider any action they may take.
Councilman Al Jarvis said the change would be subject to referendum by the people, possibly force a special election “that might be a big expense for the city.”
”I completely understand opting out until regulations come out, but the voters are not going to understand it,” Councilman John Resseguie said. “Once it is written in stone, it will be very difficult to go ahead and opt back in.” He said they were going against the voters... “therefore that could cost the city a lot of money.”
The vote for a draft ordinance was 8-1, with Resseguie voting “no.”
Also Monday, the council heard the city will get new election equipment to convert the election poll book from paper to electronic format at no charge from the state for all four precincts in the city.
Deputy Manager Jerry Czarnecki said converting had been voluntary, but with changes in election law, they have to do it.
“The state provides the equipment, we agree to use it,” he said. The new system will be faster, more efficient and more accurate. As soon as the agreement with the state is signed, the state will move to get the equipment installed to have time for training of election workers before the May election, he said.
The change voters will see is during the first step in voting. A voter's qualification to vote will be verified on a computer instead of by hand in the poll book, and go directly into the state Qualified Voter File.
