Today, City Council will decide on whether to reverse the decision it made on marijuana dispensaries, or push the issue to a city-wide vote in a May. Critics of the petition say this would remove the decision-making power of the majority of the city\u2019s Bengali and Yemeni population. Councilmembers say this large portion of the city is popularly against the marijuana industry operating in Hamtramck.<\/p>\n
However, one petition organizer said that this is more about trying to ensure that the unintended consequences of a decision like this won\u2019t negatively impact the city. Already, a lawsuit was filed in Wayne County Circuit Court against the city for denying a zoning variance based on the correct guess that the building would be a marijuana dispensary.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think all the volunteers were upset to see how [the decision] went down,\u201d said Linda Ward, the petition\u2019s organizer. \u201cCity Council didn’t address it appropriately when they should have. And now that they waited until the 11th hour, we’re in a position where we are more than likely going to get sued\u2026 that’s really the biggest motivation, I think, between the volunteers and the people who are signing.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s difficult to understand exactly how many marijuana dispensaries intend to open within Hamtramck. According to Hamtramck City Clerk, more than eight marijuana dispensaries have approached the city with interest. However, no city official says that they gave express approval for the businesses to operate, but rather acted in accordance with Michigan law to say that they could\u2019ve legally started a marijuana business. This was at a time when there were no recreational marijuana laws in Hamtramck.<\/p>\n
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Petitioner Linda Ward goes to someone’s home to get a signature<\/p>\n
Where the line is drawn<\/p>\n
In an effort to regulate which marijuana businesses have moved far enough through the process of opening, Councilman Ian Perrotta introduced an amendment to the final Marijuana Prohibition Ordinance. The amendment would set the Certificate of Attestation as the deciding factor for which businesses could open. However, the amendment was struck down by a majority vote.<\/p>\n
Later, another ordinance that would\u2019ve regulated the already-existing marijuana dispensaries did not pass, leading the councilmember who introduced the ordinance to resign. At this moment, no clear understanding of who can open, and what they\u2019re legally able to do is available for Hamtramck dispensaries.<\/p>\n
Part of this challenge can be attributed to the staunch position of the council, which is almost split based on the issue, with a slight majority that is staunchly against marijuana businesses.<\/p>\n
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The first marijuana dispensary to open in Hamtramck on Holbrook Avenue.<\/p>\n
An issue too big for the city to handle.<\/p>\n
Before this question took to national media, city council initially voted against opting-out of the marijuana industry with two members absent from voting. There\u2019s been a lot of blaming, with newly-appointed councilman Almasmari saying he didn\u2019t trust the two councilmembers<\/a> to vote against allowing marijuana businesses in Hamtramck.<\/p>\n