Marijuana Ordinance Debated (It’s 10 Pages Long) &

New Industrial Biz Locates to Northfield – Approved in Two Months!

 

Jan. 16, 2019

By David Gordon

The Planning Commission last night gave the go-ahead for National Fiber Corp., a fiber optic installer, to open a facility on 10 acres just south of Alexander’s Farm Market on Whitmore Lake Road. The approval came with some minor conditions and requirements that will be hammed out by Planner Paul Lippens.

The application was made only two months ago. (Who says Northfield Township is anti-business and that our ordinances are too restrictive?)

In other business, the PC discussed “sample” marijuana regulations presented by the planner. The regulations were more than 10 pages long and it took up nearly 50 minutes of the meeting. (This ordinance seems less than “welcoming”.)

Housekeeping changes were requested by Chairman Larry Roman and several PC members questioned certain restrictions such as why marijuana “caregivers” needed to be 500 to 1000 feet from each other. And was it 500 or 1,000, since both distances were cited. And could the distance be reduced?

Planner Lippens was directed to return Feb. 6 with a reworked document.    

At the second Call to the Public, Wayne Davidson, a marijuana grower and caregiver from Midland, questioned other aspects of the proposed ordinance.   Davidson said he owns a four-acre parcel in Northfield Township and has been trying to move his operation here for more than two years, without success.

The Zoning Administrators report revealed that in the last quarter, 15 applications for new construction were approved and two were denied.

Documents: 

11 pages of proposed Marijuana Legislation

Alice's Restaurant-esque map of Marijuana cultivation and retail Zones, locations, localizations, inhibitions, prohibitions, restrictions and prescriptions, illustrated with circles, arrows, and at least a paragraph of verbosity for every pixel on your screen, explaining why you can't grow anything anywhere anytime without a million government approvals.

1-16-2019 Northfield Township Planning Commission meeting Agenda

1-16-2019 Northfield Township Planning Commission meeting packet