| Photo: A Greener Country |
After stripping an ordinance of its powers to crack down on medical marijuana businesses, the Flint Township board voted down the ordinance at their regular meeting Monday night anyway, reports Blake Thorne of the Flint Journal.
The township’s planning commission had passed an amendment to the township’s zoning rules which required all “uses or businesses seeking approval or permits from the township must comply with federal, state and local law.”
Since marijuana is illegal for any purpose, including medical uses, under federal law, the ordinance would have effectively banned medical marijuana businesses from the township. Because of federal law, any business which sells, distributes or allows medical marijuana would have been in violation of the township ordinance.
The commission had recommended that the board adopt the amendment.
Some Flint residents were less than thrilled that the economically blighted Michigan city, one of the worst-hit areas of the Great Recession, seemed ready to kill off practically the only business in the township that showed promising signs of growth.
“It bans it completely, that’s why you’re doing behind the back door,” said trustee Franklin Kasle.
Before voting on the ordinance, the township changed the amendment to apply only to state and local law, effectively stripping the measure of its federal teeth.
Kasle, Supervisor Karyn Miller and trustee George Menoutes voted for the amended ordinance.
Trustees Barb Vert and Belenda Parker said they voted against the ordinance because they claimed the township needs to address medical marijuana businesses more directly.
“It needs to be very clear, no watered-down ordinances,” Vert said.