GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- On the day many people around the country will gather to celebrate and consume marijuana, Grand Rapids will likely accept its first applications for recreational marijuana facilities.

April 20, widely known as Weed Day, is the date Grand Rapids officials have set to begin accepting applications for recreational-use dispensaries, growers, processors and other related businesses.

The applications will have to work through the city and state’s application processes before the applicants can open their shops.

Any medical marijuana provisioning centers in the city would have to obtain a special use permit from the city, as well as a state license, if they want to also sell recreational marijuana.

The first legal sales of recreational marijuana in the state happened in early December 2019. Muskegon and Ann Arbor are among some of the first municipalities with active recreational shops.

In Kent County, a recreational dispensary is slated to open in Lowell early this year.

Related: Marijuana shoppers spent $1.6 million in Michigan during first week of recreational sales

Since the city planning commission began hearing applications for medical marijuana facilities in May 2019, they’ve approved plans for 24 of them so far.

While no medical marijuana provisioning centers have opened in the city yet, a few are eyeing a February opening.

The April 20 date, generally recognized as a counter-culture holiday celebrating marijuana, was landed on by coincidence, according to acting Grand Rapids Planning Department Director Kristin Turkelson.

The date was chosen because it is the end point of the six-month period city officials asked for to research, gather public input and develop and adopt zoning regulations for recreational marijuana.

The Grand Rapids Planning Commission is still tweaking those rules. The commission is slated to hold a public hearing and possible vote on them at their next meeting, Feb. 13.

A vote was scheduled and later tabled at their Thursday, Jan. 23, meeting.

Once approved, the rules will be sent to the Grand Rapids City Commission, which will hold another public hearing on them. At a following meeting, the commissioners will hold a vote.

Included in the latest version of the tentative rules is a reduction of the required distances between both medical and recreational dispensaries.

The change reduces the buffer zone requirement between facilities from 2,000 feet to 1,000 feet, resulting in more areas for marijuana facilities in the city.

Like the medical marijuana rules, the current recreational rules require applicants to get special use waivers if they want to locate within 1,000 feet of a park, licensed substance abuse disorder program centers and religious institutions.

The 1,000 feet barrier between recreational marijuana facilities and schools or child care centers is not waivable.

The facilities are generally permitted in commercially zoned areas of the city, with some exceptions including the non-waivable distances.

Turkelson said planning commissioners will consider Feb. 13 an amendment to remove the need for a waiver for facilities wanting to locate within 1,000 feet of religious institutions and parks without playground equipment.

The proposed rules do not allow designated consumption establishments, temporary marijuana events and marijuana event organizers. City leaders can add those at a later time.

Read more:

Grand Rapids approves more medical marijuana dispensaries, bringing total to 24

Kent County’s first recreational marijuana shop could open January 2020

Second Muskegon marijuana dispensary announces recreational sales forthcoming

Recreational marijuana stalled in Michigan’s largest city as police blame black-market weed for violence