BLUE LAKE TWP. – Speaking on behalf of his client, attorney Brandon Gardner, Grand Rapids Cannabis Attorneys, expressed interest in building a marijuana grow and processing facility in Blue Lake Township.
Gardner spoke to the township board on Monday, May 8 at its monthly meeting. He answered questions and spoke about the intended use for a potential facility.
“We are asking for an ordinance to be passed to opt in, as they say, into the new medical marijuana facilities licensing act. This is a statute that is separate from the state medical marijuana act in as much that it allows a municipality, like this township, to pass an ordinance to permit licensed facilities,” said Gardner.
The facility would be used to cultivate, harvest, and manufacture marijuana plants.
“This product would be shipped across Michigan to various store fronts that are also licensed through the same state licensing board.
“There is no process in which a commercial processor could have a growing and selling facility to operate. This act takes care of that. It creates a set of regulations and standards that everybody has to abide by.”
In his presentation Gardner said that the act he is discussing will create standards that marijuana manufacturing facilities would have to abide by. These standards would mean that a facility could only license and sell product within a supply chain, it would require the marijuana to be tested for CBD and THC levels, it would require the product to be organic, and create a requirement on how the product would be handled.
“This is so that a customer buying marijuana at an end user level will know what they are getting, that they are getting a product that has been tested, that’s safe, that benefits topically, and by all matter of ingestion. From oral ingestion, to topical, and rubbing oil on one’s self,” said Gardner.
It was stressed during the meeting that the facility being discussed would not sell directly to consumers, and instead products would be going to facilities elsewhere.
“Right now we are simply asking if the township would be willing to engage in a discussion about whether they would say yes or no to any facilities whatsoever. We request to at least permit a commercial grow and processing facility,” said Gardner.
The licenses, according to Gardner, would not be issued by the state for about another year. However, the application process would begin at the end of December.
He said that before an application is filled out, the municipality in question would have to have an ordinance allowing the facility.
Gardner said that there would be tax revenue to be gained by the township for allowing a facility of the kind he described be built.
“Also, the initial application fees to the state, the township gets a portion of that – I think it is about 30-percent. We anticipate in the first year that it is going to be a six figure initial application fee to the state.”
Gardner believes that the townships portion would be about $30,000. Blue Lake Township could also have the potential to charge a $5,000 renewal fee each year to a facility.
There is potential for the Blue Lake Township to make more money with additional licenses acquired over time by the facility. Gardner said that this amount could be as much as $120,000 of revenue for Blue Lake Township.
The facility would be a locked facility, and Gardner said that there would be no guns at the site.
“I always say guns and marijuana don’t mix,” said Gardner.
The area in question would be at the boarder of the township near Dalton Township.
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