Marijuana Policy Project

If Kochville Township Planning Commission members had their way, they'd rather that medical marijuana businesses locate elsewhere.

Recent legislation allowing people to grow and use marijuana for medical use has concerned Planning Commission members.

"Now that the voters of the state have opened this thing up, we could be opening ourselves up to marijuana parlors along Bay Road," Chairman Warren Collisi said.

Members discussed developing a special zoning ordinance to control the location of such businesses.

"The way it's been explained to me, we have to have a place for it, or there would have to be a place adjacent to the township that would be convenient," Collisi said.

However, Zoning Administrator Dale Klein said the township could make more problems for itself by doing so.

"You could create your own hell," Klein said. "You can't legislate somebody out of business."

Collisi suggested some members attend an upcoming seminar in Flint that will discuss how other states have handled the matter.

The Planning Commission also will research new ordinances for noise control, lighting and exotic dancing.