Saginaw Introduces Ordinance Changes for Marijuana Opt-In

Saginaw may soon allow marijuana growing and retail facilities within city limits.

Under current city ordinances Saginaw is opted-out of recreational marijuana business, but a sunset clause had put a timetable on when additional input needed to be made.

City council approved language for changes to the ordinance, which would opt the city in after next meeting, but not before several members of council discussed whether the proposed zoning was appropriate.

If approved at council’s next meeting, the city ordinance changes would allow both marijuana based retail stores and growing facilities, but not within:

-1,000ft of a public or private K-12 school

-100ft of a church or other place of worship

-250ft of a publicly owned park, playground, or transitional housing; or

-500ft of a hospital or other marijuana establishment locations.

Councilwoman Jaime Forbes had proposed to all remove limitations (other than the 1000ft limitation outside of schools) where Marijuana growing facilities could be implemented, but Mayor Floyd Kloc said he would prefer the limitations for both growing and retail locations be upped to 500ft each if the originally proposed changes had not already considered sensitive-use areas.

Director of Neighborhood services John Stemple  added that if the proposed zoning areas were approved, ordinances could be changed afterwards depending on the impact the new business has on the area.