VBT Planners recommend marijuana cultivation facilities

The Van Buren Township Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of a seven-page ordinance amendment that provides for regulation, location, and operation of medical marijuana cultivation facilities.
At its March 23 meeting the commission sent the recommendation onto the township board who will make the final decision on the ordinance at a future meeting.
The ordinance amendment would allow such facilities as special land uses in the M-2 (General Industrial) zoning district, mostly at the north end of the township.
VBT currently has a moratorium on medical marijuana establishments until April 7. This moratorium was to allow the township time to study the issue and, if necessary, prepare ordinance amendments.
Patrick Sloan of McKenna Associates planning consultants explained the regulations include:
• Requiring all marijuana growing and other activities to be conducted indoors only, including prohibiting outdoor storage;
• Prohibiting drive-through uses;
• A minimum 1,000-foot setback from religious institutions, public parks, residential zoning districts, residential land uses, child care facilities, and educational facilities. An analysis of the township zoning map indicates seven or eight M-2 area meet these setback requirements;
• Prohibiting on-site transfer, consumption, or retail sales;
• Limiting the number of caregivers per facility to six and requiring separate growing areas for each caregiver; and
• Additional requirements for security, access, parking, inspections, waste disposal and enforcement.
Sloan said there are currently three bills related to medical marijuana that were passed by the State House of Representatives last fall. These bills may be passed and signed into law this year. If changes need to be made to the VBT ordinance, it could be amended in the future.
In other business at the 72-minute, March 23 meeting, the commission:
• Approved Elliott’s Amusements to hold Belleville Spring Carnival from May 12 to May 22 at the Belleville Square (Farmer Jack) shopping center parking lot, 10800 Belleville Road with total fees of $1,650. Debbie Elliott said they would like to hire police officers for security as in the past. She said they usually had two officers on every day and an additional two officers for Saturday evening. She said they had been at that location for four out of the last five years;
• Approved TNT Fireworks request for temporary land use for a tent sale of fireworks at the Belleville Road Walmart store June 23 to July 5. This is the third year they will be at this location; and
• Discussed proposed zoning ordinance updates for Planned Unit Developments. After discussing with Sloan the various proposals, there was some discussion over whether PUDs were of value and whether the township should have them at all. The PUD gives bonuses in density for open space and other amenities; and
• Heard resident Paul Taylor tell of his problem with getting a variance for a larger outbuilding because of the wording in an ordinance. He said the township allowed him only a 30’x38’ barn and so he has to buy a 32’ barn and cut off two feet and throw it away. He said the planning commission could approve a new multiplier so he doesn’t have to throw material away. Planning and Economic Development Deputy Director said there may be a need for a revision since the township is redoing the ordinance. He said the Agricultural or Estates District has standards the same as Residential. “Accessory structures for the Agricultural district south of Hull Road, I think we’ll have more of these popping up,” Best said. Commission chairman Carol Thompson told Taylor that to get the commission to revise his multiplier he has to apply and pay a fee.