Dorr Township Board voted 5 to 1 to adopt a marijuana opt-out ordinance to prohibit commercial recreational marijuana businesses and facilities in the township at their meeting on Thursday, Jan. 31.
Trustee Josh Otto voted against opting-out because he said they didn’t have all the information yet with the state still setting up guidelines for licensing.
“I just wanted to see it gone over by the planning commission...there are several types of licenses and I just didn’t want to close the door on potential businesses being opened,” he said. “And we could pick and choose the licenses to allow such as a transportation license.”
Supervisor Jeff Miling said the board and public had a good discussion. In public comments, those who spoke wanted marijuana establishments banned.
“A couple years down the road if a testing facility wanted to locate by the highway, we could make an amendment to allow it but we had to get something in place before someone put in an application,” Miling said.
The majority of Dorr Township voters said “no” to proposal 1 to legalize recreational marijuana by 57.8 percent. Statewide voters approved it by 57 percent making Michigan the 10th in the nation to legalize marijuana.
Virginia Ransbottom can be contacted at vransbottom@allegannews.com or at (269) 673-5534.
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