COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – A petition demanding that Coldwater citizens be given the chance to vote on whether or not retail recreational marijuana businesses should be allowed to operate in downtown Coldwater will be presented to the Coldwater City Council on Monday evening.
Organizer Dave Rumsey says the petition contains 335 signatures of qualified electors which is greater than the five percent of the votes cast in the city during the last gubernatorial election.
Therefore, pursuant to state law, the question on the petition now must be submitted to the registered voters in the City of Coldwater for a vote “at the next regular election.”
The petition was turned into the City Clerk’s office Monday morning.
It’s to late to have the question on the November General Election ballot and first election of 2021 is not scheduled to take place until next May.
Also under state law, the petition would preclude the City Council from taking any further action regarding marijuana establishments in the C-2 business district which covers the downtown area.
In the event the City Council decides to move forward, the petitioners may pursue legal action such as a preliminary injunction that would enjoin the City from taking further action regarding downtown marijuana businesses.
This would not affect these type of businesses getting established in the C-4 General Business District which is in the area of U.S. 12 and I-69.
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