IONIA — A proposed ordinance that would repeal this city’s prohibition on recreational marijuana establishments, and outline standards for allowing adult-use marijuana businesses, is on its way to the City Council.
Dean St. Peter, center, processor and project coordinator for The Machine LLC, which owns ArCanna in Ionia, answers questions at an Ionia Planning Commission meeting last year, while owner David Bye, left, at listens. The pair received site plan and special land use permits approvals for a facility combining growing, processing and provisioning centers for medical marijuana on Beardsley Road. — DN file photo
The Ionia Planning Commission voted 4-0 on Nov. 12 to recommend to the Ionia City Council that Ordinance No. 549, the adult-use marijuana “opt-in” ordinance, be adopted. Chairman Boomer Hoppough and Commissioners Tim Lee, Judy Swartz and Ryan Videtich were present for the vote, while commissioners Dave Cook, Mike Donaldson and Ted Paton were absent.
The City Council will consider the proposed ordinance at its Dec. 1 meeting at 7 p.m. at City Hall.
Council members voted in October 2019 to opt out of adult-use marijuana, choosing to wait until the state of Michigan moved from emergency rules to permanent ones.
On July 7, the City Council directed the Planning Commission to develop an adult use ordinance and asked to have a proposed draft ready for…
