Weed News: Ferndale to Vote on Medical Marijuana Facility Permit

Sunday, 27 July 2014

Ferndale to Vote on Medical Marijuana Facility Permit

(Crystal A. Proxmire, July 26, 2014)

Ferndale City Council is expected to vote Monday on a Special Land Use permit for Meridian Wellness Center, a medical marijuana clinic designed to “provide a safe location or Meridian Wellness members to meet with their state-approved patients and to provide other lawful wellness information to patrons.”

According to documents provided to council, the facility would be used by three caregivers, with five patients each. Patients would come by appointment and no marijuana use would be permitted onsite.

The facility would have safes for each caregiver, and the facility would have bulletproof windows, security doors with a buzzer, and 24 hour video surveillance. No marijuana will be stored at the location overnight.

The location, 1915 E. 9 Mile, was formerly Morgante’s convenience store.

The Planning Commission approved the project at their June 12 meeting. According to the minutes, a resident objected due to the proximity to the neighborhood, and the owner of Mr. Muffler objected because marijuana is illegal under Federal Law.

When medical marijuana became legal under Michigan Law, city leaders created a process for medical marijuana-related businesses, requiring a Special Land Use permit and creating zoning where such facilities might be appropriate.

Ferndale had an issue in the past with a medical marijuana facility called Clinical Relief, which opened prior to the procedures having been put into place. The facility was subsequently raided by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department shortly after it opened. Charges were initially dismissed in court against the caregivers, but the County appealed and the case is working its way up to the Michigan Supreme Court. (For details see the “Clinical Relief” stories listed below)

One distinction between Meridian Wellness is that it is not considered a dispensary, but a facility only for specific caregivers and their patients.

More information about the facility is available in the Agenda for the Monday, July 18 City Council Meeting, which begins at 7pm at Ferndale City Hall. Meeting information and agendas are available on the City of Ferndale website at http://www.ferndalemi.gov/Government/Departments/City_Clerk/City_Council_Video_Meeting_Minutes.

For previous marijuana related stories see:

http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/07/23/huntington-woods-and-pleasant-ridge-get-pot-petitions-turned-in/

http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/07/02/berkley-pot-petition-turned-in-voters-to-decide-nov-4-video/

http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/06/03/oak-park-and-petitioners-negotiate-marijuana-to-go-on-aug-5-ballot-video/

http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/05/30/oak-park-ballot-issue-to-be-settled-monday-maybe-tuesday/

http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/05/29/pro-pot-petitioners-sue-oak-park-over-neglecting-ballot-proposal/

http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/04/22/oak-park-and-hazel-park-get-pot-petitions-turned-in-berkley-next/

http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/04/09/hazel-park-pot-petition-gets-start-other-cities-too/

http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/04/08/cissell-gets-probation-suspended-jail-time-in-false-statement-case-video/

http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/01/31/looking-at-the-elements-in-the-andrew-cissell-petition-trial-video/

http://oaklandcounty115.com/2013/11/16/cissell-case-moves-forward-sheriff-says-not-political/

http://oaklandcounty115.com/2013/10/16/cissell-charged-with-voter-fraud/

http://oaklandcounty115.com/2013/10/28/collins-and-covey-debate-ferndale-marijuana-proposal/

http://oaklandcounty115.com/investigation-into-possible-voter-fraud-in-marijuana-petition/

http://oaklandcounty115.com/2013/09/14/marijuana-ordinance-petitioner-arrested-on-drug-charges//

http://oaklandcounty115.com/2013/09/11/clinical-relief-case-continues-charges-reinstated-by-court-of-appeals/

http://oaklandcounty115.com/2013/08/12/marijuana-ordinance-goes-to-nov-5-ballot

http://oaklandcounty115.com/2013/08/11/council-to-vote-on-marijuana-ordinance-monday-video/

http://oaklandcounty115.com/2013/08/09/board-of-appeals-hears-clinical-relief-case/

http://oaklandcounty115.com/2013/07/29/ferndale-voters-could-decide-on-pot-decriminalization/

http://oaklandcounty115.com/2013/07/30/cissell-and-covey-turn-in-pro-pot-petition-for-ferndale-video/

http://oaklandcounty115.com/2012/05/15/straight-talk-on-medical-marijuana-laws-proposed-changes/

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About the author

Editor & Publisher Crystal A. Proxmire has written 2728 articles for Oakland County One~Fifteen

The Oakland County 115 News Hub, or oc115, is a community-driven news hub that depends on reader support and business sponsorships in order to bring independent journalism to you. Since 2009 we’ve been providing local news for Ferndale, MI and are now branching out to county-wide coverage. If you value this project, please check out the links at the top of the page to give your support! Contact us at editor@oc115.com with questions, comments, ideas etc.