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MARQUETTE -- The Marquette Township Board moved toward allowing both medical and recreational marijuana establishments within its boundaries on Tuesday.
The board approved the first reading of proposed zoning ordinance amendments related to marijuana establishments, along with the proposed Medical Marijuana Facilities and Adult Use Marijuana Establishments Licensing and Regulatory ordinance, that could allow permitting of up to two growers, two processors, two secure transporters, four provisioning centers/marijuana retailers, two safety compliance facilities, three microbusinesses and one event organizer.
Marquette Township Planner/Zoning Administrator Jason McCarthy said if the proposed changes are enacted, it is not a guarantee that prospective businesses can simply open up and begin operation.
"You will find that they are all special-use permits," McCarthy told the board. "They are not proposed to be permitted by right. They would all require a public hearing and have a duly called public hearing with neighbor notifications as required by state law, as well as notice in the newspaper."
In addition, the ordinance would limit the locations where establishments or provisioning centers would be allowed.
For example, the proposed language would allow recreational marijuana retail businesses and medical marijuana provisioning centers to operate in the township districts zoned as development and general business zoning districts with a special-use permit.
The proposed language would also allow recreational marijuana processors and safety compliance businesses in the township districts zoned general business, segregated business and resource production, with a special-use permit.
The ordinances, if adopted, would replace the township's current mandate, which has prohibited all marijuana establishments since March 2019.
The planning commission was directed by the township board in June of that year to research the issue and submit proposed ordinances.
During the meeting on Tuesday, McCarthy called the planning process "long and arduous" and acknowledged that the township's process has taken more time to complete than some of its neighboring municipalities.
"Ours took a little bit longer, but being the entertainment and commercial epicenter of the U.P. -- which we feel that we are -- we wanted to make sure we dotted all our i's and crossed our t's," McCarthy said.
Marquette Township Attorney Roger Zappa commended the members of the planning commission on their efforts, but recommended members of the board review the ordinance carefully prior to its next meeting.
"Again, that process has multiple steps to it, and a lot of time was spent on it. That does not mean that anything in this proposed ordinance cannot be changed or completely tossed out. That's up to the (Marquette) Township Board to analyze," Zappa said. "This is just a recommendation from the planning commission. But again, it was not a hastily put together recommendation by the planning commission. (There was) a lot of time, hours and effort to try to put together the best version that they could, that they thought would be acceptable to the township board."
Marquette Township Clerk Randy Ritari, who made the motion to approve the first reading of the changes, recommended board members direct any questions or concerns to McCarthy or Zappa over the next several weeks.
"I would like to catch up with the times in our local area here," Ritari said.
The second reading will be conducted during the board's Jan. 5 meeting, at which time members will consider adopting the ordinance changes.
Lisa Bowers can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242. Her email address is lbowers@miningjournal.net.