COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – On a 6-3 vote, the Coldwater Planning Commission recommended to the City Council on Tuesday night that they remove the Coldwater Zoning Ordinance provision for allowing retail marijuana establishments in the C-2 Central Business District downtown and eliminate the separation requirement between establishments in the C-4 General Business District.
Retail marijuana facilities would therefore only be allowed in the C-4 zoning district which is in the U.S. 12 and I-69 commercial area.
City officials recommended to the Planning Commission that in an effort to protect the City from potential litigation and to manage staff resources that a scoring criteria for the issuing of retail marijuana licenses not be implemented.
A majority of Planning Commission members felt the city should pause its efforts to have retail recreational marijuana businesses downtown with the idea of expanding there in the future if it made sense.
Commission member Dave Rumsey said he was taken aback by the number of people outside a nearby recreational marijuana business.
But Commission member Jessika Cole said while she appreciated the concerns, she said, “if we had a hot restaurant with a line outside, we’d all jump for joy. Is it the line that concerns us or is it the business?”
Zach Stempien responded by saying, “we’re going to open up two large districts for the sale of this not thinking through the ramifications.”
There were also concerns about the large number of Michigan communities that have opted out of having recreational marijuana businesses.
The amendment is scheduled to be introduced by the City Council next Monday with formal action scheduled for September 28.
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