PORTAGE (WKZO AM/FM) — The Portage City Council has postponed approval of their new Medical Marijuana ordinance for 2-weeks after last minute changes in the ordinance left some council members confused.
Council Member Terry Urban complained that they were presented with clean and red lined copies on Monday, and had a new set waiting for them when they appeared for the meeting that were different.
City Manager Lawrence Shaffer apologized, saying it was proving to be a very complicated business to regulate, and they were making revisions right up to the meeting.
The council took public comment last night, but postponed the vote until March 13th.
Several citizens expressed fear that it might not be right for Portage, especially if dispensaries could be located across the street from residential areas.
One speaker feared Portage would become “the marijuana capital of South West Michigan,” noting that a recent survey of citizens showed most wanted the number of dispensaries limited to the number needed to service the city’s needs.
The proposed ordinance sets no limit.
Proponents of Medical Marijuana also spoke, calling their fears unfounded and the city’s ordinance so restrictive that they doubted there would be more than 2 or 3 dispensaries in Portage.
The Council had initially planned to vote on whether to adopt the ordinance last night but last minute changes prompted a majority to decide to put that off for two weeks to give the council and the public a chance to review a final draft first.
The Kalamazoo City Commission held a workshop on the Medical Marijuana issue last night.
City Attorney Clyde Robinson says he should have a draft Ordinance ready for first reading on March 19th and final adoption in early April.
