BERKLEY — It’s going to be a busy night for the Berkley City Council as they tackle a pair of controversial issues in the city.
The first is considering a statement of purpose for the recent petition amending the city charter as it pertains to the use and possession of marijuana.
Safer Michigan Coalition was behind the petition drive which secured signatures in Berkley, Oak Park and Hazel Park among others.
A local ordinance, which was approved by voters in 2013, is already on the books in Ferndale.
The proposed amendment for Berkley reads: “A proposal to amend the city charter to provide that no city ordinances shall apply to the use, possession or transfer of less than 1 ounce of marijuana, on private property not used by the public, or transportation of less than 1 ounce of marijuana, by a person who has attained the age of 21 years.”
Berkley City Manager Jane Bais-DiSessa said in early July when the petitions were submitted that the city would have to seek the advice of its attorney in terms of how to proceed, if the ballot proposal is passed by voters.
“My understanding is state and federal laws for the most part supersede local laws,” she said.
Vinsetta Garage parking plan
It took two planning commission meetings and hours of public comment for the owners of Vinsetta Garage to be told their parking plan needs to be scrapped.
But in order for that to be official, or for it to be changed, the decision ultimately will come from the city council.
Owner Curt Catallo wants to rezone of four properties on Oxford Road from single family residential to parking so he can better serve his customers and improve a parking problem that has been prevalent since he opened his restaurant in 2012.
The residents in the area aren’t too keen on a parking lot in their neighborhood and have been showing up en masse to public meetings to voice their displeasure.
A more reasonable solution, for the city and residents, was creating a parking lot on Eaton. However, Catallo only owns two of the Eaton properties, and the third he would need to create the lot is owned by T-Mobile.
The two sides have been unable to reach an agreement, and thus Catallo moved forward with the Oxford plan.
Vinsetta Garage opened with a shared parking agreement with Charter One Bank, that has since been terminated. It then recently formed one with the Northpointe Medical Center, but according to city planner Amy Vansen’s letter to city manager Jane Bais-DiSessa, “restaurant parking seems to fill the streets rather than the parking lots.”
Vansen wrote that the city believes a “joint parking agreement could work permanently if proper notification were given to customers and proper instruction were given to the valets and employees. However, the applicant has advised that he doesn’t think this arrangement will work long term.”
The meeting takes place at 7 p.m. tonight at Berkley City Hall, on the corner of 12 Mile and Coolidge. It would be wise to arrive early as a large crowd is expected.
Marijuana ballot proposal, Vinsetta Garage parking issue highlight Berkley meeting tonight
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