MARQUETTE — Marijuana retail enterprises may be back on the table in Marquette Township.

During a Wednesday work session, the Marquette Township Board, while not taking an official vote, agreed to place an item on its June 17 agenda asking the planning commission to research the issue and craft a list of proposed ordinances for the board to consider.

In March, the board approved an ordinance which “prohibits all marijuana establishments” as defined by the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act, which was approved by state voters on Nov 6.

The act provides a new licensing scheme for five types of commercial entities, including medical marijuana growers, processors, secure transporters, provisioning centers and safety compliance facilities.

Trustee Dave Wiegand, who serves on the planning commission, said that body could not only address ordinance language and zoning, but also advise the board as to how many and what type of marijuana businesses the township should allow.

“We need to direct the planning commission to do what they are there to do. And the board shouldn’t worry about it again until they come back with some zoning ordinances and then we’ve got a chance to study it and look at it and decide which ones (types of businesses) we want and which ones we want out or if we want into all of them.”

The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community made a presentation to the board in May, requesting that members consider allowing a medical marijuana dispensary on the gas station property KBIC currently owns along U.S. 41.

KBIC leaders, along with Marquette County Commissioner Joe Derocha, also spoke during the work session on Wednesday.

Trustee Pete LaRue said while he supported the idea of the planning commission researching the issue and advising the board, he was concerned about allowing marijuana establishments in the township.

“I have seen a lot of the negatives on this thing, so I try to open my mind up to what’s coming,” LaRue said. “Income: What is it going to mean for the residents for allowing this with fees and stuff like that? Police protection, are we going to have to add more police protection? And … medical marijuana I see as a benefit with the oils and stuff like that. It helps people with health problems. But, yeah, I worry about it. I don’t want to do anything that is going to hurt our kids.”

KBIC Tribal President Chris Swartz acknowledged LaRue’s concerns.

“The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community hears all of your concerns, because we have the same concerns you have. What we found out is that, if you regulate this type of activity in your township, we found that the accessibility to children goes down,” Swartz said. “Those who regulate those types of activities in the township are going to find out that the addiction rates for children will go down, and there will be less crime in your community.”

Several board members said while they appreciated the input from the county and tribal leaders, a work session on the subject of marijuana establishments had been planned prior to the KBIC request in May.

“No offense to KBIC, but this has nothing to do with you. This board has got no business looking at what you guys want and crafting something to make your lives easier,” Wiegand said. “We need to decide to either opt in or opt out and explore it. And if the people voted it in, we are representing the residents of this township and the way I look at it to say, ‘Yeah they voted it in, but they really don’t know what they are talking about. We are going to go ahead and opt out anyway.’ We don’t have that right. We should be representing the residents.”

Trustee John Markes said the consensus on the matter does not mean the board will ultimately approve marijuana establishments in the township.

“There is no acceptance of that, we are just doing planning,” Markes said.

KBIC members recently voted to approve a referendum to invest $4 million from the elders trust fund to purchase and launch a medical marijuana business.

Lisa Bowers can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242.