By: Kayla Dimick | Southfield Sun | Published February 26, 2015


SOUTHFIELD — The City Council approved a zoning ordinance that will allow the creation of medical marijuana facilities within the city.

The ordinance was approved 5-0 at the council’s regular meeting Feb. 23. Councilman Sid Lantz was not at the meeting.

City Planner Terry Croad told the council Feb. 9 that up to four such facilities could be located in “light business districts.” He mentioned Central Business Park and Bridge Street as potential locations.

Each facility would allow for five qualifying patients to receive medical marijuana. Twelve plants per patient would be allowed on-site, according to Croad. They would not be open to the public and would not be retail operations.

“It’s a primary caregiver who is distributing to five registered patients,” Croad said previously.

Croad explained Feb. 9 that each facility has to be 500 feet from any school, residential district, church, child care center or park. They also must be 1,500 feet from any pawn shop or alternative financial establishment.

There will be no marijuana use on-site, Croad said, and all marijuana will be kept in a locked container only accessible to a caregiver and patient. Each facility will have one primary caregiver and five patients.

The ordinance is in accordance with the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act, Croad said Feb. 23.

“As the council might recall, this was adopted by the state in 2008, which regulates specific use of medical marijuana within the state of Michigan. We’re taking a zoning approach on this matter to regulate it in specific districts as a special land use,” he said.

Councilman Lloyd Crews assured the crowd that Southfield is not the only city in the area working to approve medical marijuana zoning ordinances.

“I don’t want folks to think we’re out here alone or making up our own rules as we go along. This is something collectively cities across the state are working toward,” Crews said.

“If it’s permitted by state law, it’s permitted. All we’re saying is where is it most appropriately located so we don’t have negative consequences,” City Attorney Sue Ward-Witkowski said.

One resident voiced his disapproval of the ordinance, saying he did not want smoke from marijuana to enter his lungs. A handful of people commented on the matter during a public comment session Dec. 15.

Council members resolved to table the discussion of the ordinance at their Dec.15 meeting, creating a moratorium on the matter so that the Planning Commission could look into the specifics of what constitutes a facility. Ward-Witkowski said the moratorium will be lifted in April.