Mr. Anzek stated that a year ago, Staff was before them to discuss the |
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issues regarding Medical Marihuana, including implementation, |
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developing regulatory standards, the sale, cultivation, delivery and |
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others. At that time, little was known about the Medical Marihuana Act |
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and what other communities were doing, and they had hoped that other |
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communities would take the lead on setting a course of action that would |
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be defendable. The Planning Commission supported a Moratorium for |
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six months, allowing Staff and Mr. Staran to do extensive research into |
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various Ordinances and look at how other communities were dealing with |
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it. Six months later, they recommended another Extension because at |
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that time, there was much chaos, and Staff could not provide clear |
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guidance. There were concerns, and Staff did not want to take the City |
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and its officials down a path resulting in a court date and liability. He and |
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Mr. Staran continued to monitor the situation. He recalled that the |
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Planning Commission had written letters to State Legislators, asking |
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them to provide guidance for implementation at the local level. They |
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subsequently learned from one Council member that the State |
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Legislature had no interest in taking up the matter with a new |
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administration. There were economic issues to deal with, and medical |
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marihuana was not on the front burner. Staff had continued to watch |
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things, share articles, and Mr. Staran attended conferences by the |
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Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys. The matter was discussed |
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at great lengths, and although Mr. Staran had learned a lot, he had not |
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learned enough to help set a clear path for implementation. Mr. Anzek |
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stated that it was very challenging. |
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Mr. Anzek advised that recently, there was a 180 degree change in |
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direction from the Federal Government regarding how they viewed the |
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Controlled Substance Act for marihuana at the local level. He had |
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included a memo from 2008 that stated that the Federal Government |
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would not enforce controlled substance materials in states that had |
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approved medical marihuana referendums. There had recently been a |
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rash of letters to State Attorney Generals from the Federal Government, |
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and copies had been provided in the packet. He had underlined the key |
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