After Ordinance Approval, What Happens Next with Marijuana Retail in Ferndale

 
After Ordinance Approval, What Happens Next with Marijuana Retail in Ferndale
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Oct. 27, 2019)
Ferndale, MI- Ferndale City Council approved an ordinance amendment to allow for up to three recreational marijuana retail stores in the city.  Once retail businesses are approved, patrons will not need a medical marijuana card in order to purchase the product.  The vote took place at a special meeting Oct. 21 in order to meet the deadline that would allow businesses to apply when the State begins accepting applications.
Currently there are three facilities that have been approved for medical marijuana sales.  LIV Wellness at 2625 Hilton and Gage at 1551 Academy are open, and Green Buddha at 1921 Hilton is expected to open shortly.  The recreational ordinance does allow current medical marijuana provisioning centers to add a retail recreational component to their business if they obtain a license for it from both the State and the City.
The ordinance goes into effect Oct. 30.  On Nov. 1 the State of Michigan will begin accepting applications for retail establishments, as will the City of Ferndale. Applications for a marijuana retailer license will be forward to City Council for consideration by March 1, 2020.  The City will chose three applicants to receive the licenses.  The cost to apply is $5,000.
Ferndale limits the number of medical dispensaries to three. And recreational businesses will also be limited to three. The City also allows one safety compliance facility, although there have not been any applicants for that yet.
Recreational facilities may be located in M-1 (Limited Industrial), M-2 (General Industrial), OS (Office Service) zoned areas, which is the same for the medical businesses.
A marijuana retailer shall not be allowed within 500 feet of an educational institution, nursery school, or child care center, or another marijuana retailer facility, provisioning center or medical marijuana facility. The distance requirement shall not apply to a safety compliance facility. This distance requirement shall not apply to a marijuana retailer licensee that has a provisioning center license and is trying to co-locate at a single location.
“It is clearly the intent of the voters and this council to welcome these businesses into Ferndale,” said Mayor Dan Martin.  “In passing these amendments we have provided a road map on how to do that in a responsible manner.”
Other cities in Oakland County have been welcoming to the cannabis industry as well, including Walled Lake which has one medical provisioning center, and Madison Heights and Hazel Park who are in the process of allowing marijuana businesses.
For more info on Ferndale’s ordinances, visit the City of Ferndale website.

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