Lansing Says Hold On A Minute There.

[greenbuddha]

 

US MI: Lansing Might Put Medical Marijuana on Hold

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URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n963/a02.html

Newshawk: Richard Lake

Votes: 0

Webpage: http://mapinc.org/url/pmEJGteR

Pubdate: Tue, 23 Nov 2010

Source: Lansing State Journal (MI)

Copyright: 2010 Lansing State Journal

Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/uc45fODd

Website: http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/

Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/232

Author: Susan Vela

Cited: City Council http://www.lansingmi.gov/council/council_members.jsp

Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/Michigan+medical+marijuana

Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/Lansing

Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/James+McCurtis

 

<P class=clipping>LANSING MIGHT PUT MEDICAL MARIJUANA ON HOLD

 

Some on City Council Calling for Moratorium on Law

 

It's too soon for Lansing to issue permits or licenses for medical marijuana establishments growing, storing, using or distributing medical marijuana, according to some City Council members.

 

Carol Wood, the council's public safety committee chairwoman, is calling for a moratorium on any such possibilities because of sentiments that more research is needed.

 

The 2008 voter-approved state law that legalized the use of medical marijuana "makes it difficult for a municipality to enforce," Wood said. "It's not been an easy venue for any of us."

 

She hopes to introduce an ordinance proposing a moratorium at next Monday's meeting. Another goal is for the council to host a public hearing and vote on Dec. 6.

 

The draft ordinance so far doesn't include a length of the potential moratorium. Officials have considered a moratorium for several months - - although, in September, the council approved an ordinance for primary caregivers wanting to administer medical marijuana as a home occupation.

 

Other communities, such as East Lansing, Grand Ledge and Leslie, also are experimenting with moratoriums.

 

"That is a good idea," Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III said. "It's not banning medical marijuana. It's just saying we're going to put a hold on these establishments until we can figure a licensing scheme.

 

"This is in no way, shape or form going to prevent people who need medical marijuana from getting their medical marijuana."

 

Communities, he said, have essentially two routes - licensing and zoning - to manage the new medical marijuana law. In some ways, he said, licensing seems more effective because it would allow for periodic review of operations.

 

Government officials continue to struggle with the issue of medical marijuana. Grand Ledge has had a moratorium in place since May, which officials extended for another three months in September. They wanted to study how other communities are handling medical marijuana.

 

East Lansing extended its moratorium for dispensaries and primary caregiving through Feb. 15.

 

"The act is well intended," said Darcy Schmitt, the city's planning and zoning administrator, of the 2008 law. However, "it's missing a lot of direction and it's missing a lot of definition.

 

"When you have that many holes in the act that you have to interpret yourself, that can open a lot for legal battles in the future."

 

James McCurtis, spokesman for the Michigan Department of Community Health, said communities have the right to put the moratoriums in place "until they figure out what they want to do."

MAP posted-by: Richard Lake

 

 

[peanutbutter]

James McCurtis, spokesman for the Michigan Department of Community Health, said communities have the right to put the moratoriums in place "until they figure out what they want to do."

 

WTF!!! WTF!!! WTF!!! WTF!!! WTF!!! WTF!!! WTF!!!

 

We have the MDCH saying it is OK to put the MMMA law on hold!!!

 

Fire that man before he says anything else that stupid!

 

The voters of the State of Michigan granted us protections. This man is attempting to give permission to local governments to ignore those protections. To eliminate our protections!

[Mememe]

Another goal is for the council to host a public hearing and vote on Dec. 6. Wonder if they are waiting for the outcome of a certain court case which also is on the 6th of Dec.

 

"That is a good idea," Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III said. "It's not banning medical marijuana. It's just saying we're going to put a hold on these establishments until we can figure a licensing scheme.

 

Licensing scheme - nice choice of words.

 

some definitions of scheme

 

http://www.lectlaw.com/def2/s003.htm

legal def

A scheme or artifice to deprive another of the intangible right of honest services. 18 USC; Any plan or course of action intended to deceive others, and to obtain, by false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, money or property from persons so deceived.

 

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/scheme

 

scheme - a statement that evades the question by cleverness or trickery

scheme - form intrigues (for) in an underhand manner

scheme - a (usually secret) dishonest plan

scheme - A secret or devious plan; a plot.

[big bud]

This is taking job oppertunies away from Michigan people I'm worried not enough people will vote

[+RevThad]

WTF!!! WTF!!! WTF!!! WTF!!! WTF!!! WTF!!! WTF!!!

 

We have the MDCH saying it is OK to put the MMMA law on hold!!!

 

Fire that man before he says anything else that stupid!

 

The voters of the State of Michigan granted us protections. This man is attempting to give permission to local governments to ignore those protections. To eliminate our protections!

They are referring to dispensaries, not the MMMAct. As open as I am to the idea of dispensaries and my thoughts on them being legal, local municipalities do have the right to decide which businesses get licenses to operate within city limits. Dispensaries are subject to commercial zoning and licensing.

[Rashore]

They are referring to dispensaries, not the MMMAct. As open as I am to the idea of dispensaries and my thoughts on them being legal, local municipalities do have the right to decide which businesses get licenses to operate within city limits. Dispensaries are subject to commercial zoning and licensing.

 

[peanutbutter]

They are referring to dispensaries, not the MMMAct. As open as I am to the idea of dispensaries and my thoughts on them being legal, local municipalities do have the right to decide which businesses get licenses to operate within city limits. Dispensaries are subject to commercial zoning and licensing.

 

What is being proposed in Lansing attacks the ability of a patient or caregiver to grow.

 

These abilities are granted by state law. They can not be removed by local law, even on a temporary basis.

 

OK .. granted they could put a hold on dispensaries.

 

But they have no right to take away rights from caregivers or patients.

 

Most of these local laws include the right to inspect any grow at all. This is strictly forbidden in the law.

 

This official of the MDCH has stated in the past that the law allows caregivers to smoke themselves.

 

He has also stated that there is no place in Michigan to legally purchase marijuana. Completely ignoring even the most basic ability of a patient to purchase cannabis from their caregiver.

 

This man is a danger to our entire community. He is in a position of being responsible for the protections of patients and caregivers in Michigan. His statements are destructive toward that goal of our protections. His erroneous statements have been accepted as law.

 

He needs to be fired before he does major damage.

[+RevThad]

PB,

 

I haven't read the proposed moratorium as of yet. If it will do as you suggest, put any additional regulations on patients or caregivers, you know what side of the fight I am on. There shall be no inspections of patients or caregivers persons or property based on them being registered with the MMMP. Those protections are in the law for a reason, and shall not be given up.

[peanutbutter]

PB,

 

I haven't read the proposed moratorium as of yet. If it will do as you suggest, put any additional regulations on patients or caregivers, you know what side of the fight I am on. There shall be no inspections of patients or caregivers persons or property based on them being registered with the MMMP. Those protections are in the law for a reason, and shall not be given up.

 

The draft ordinance so far doesn't include a length of the potential moratorium. Officials have considered a moratorium for several months - - although, in September, the council approved an ordinance for primary caregivers wanting to administer medical marijuana as a home occupation.

[medicinejeff]

Outrageous! I'd be surprised if the office phones aren't ringing off the hook by the time his inept and erroneous statements make it thru a few 24 hour news cycles. En Garde!

[Rashore]

wow, chill for a sec...

They decided to extend a moratorium on passing any ordinances at all. That's not the same thing as passing an ordinance to put a moratorium on MM personal or public. They are giving themselves time to discuss issues.

 

However, what they are discussing I have more of an issue with.. from The State News 11/16/10

 

East Lansing City Council voted to extend a moratorium on passing ordinances to regulate medical marijuana to last until February 2011.

 

The vote came during the council’s Tuesday night meeting at City Hall, 410 Abbot Road.

 

The extension gives city officials more time to hold two scheduled public hearings on the issue — one in front of the Planning Commission and one in front of city council, Assistant City Attorney Tom Yeadon said. The previous moratorium would have expired Monday, but is extended another 90 days and applies retroactively to the one-day gap between moratoriums, he said.

 

“If (the council) adopt(s) an ordinance within the 90 days, they would just direct us to draft another ordinance to repeal the moratorium,” Yeadon said. “I think they’re really hoping to have something in place before this moratorium expires.”

 

Council also approved a green building incentive policy to provide reimbursement for residential and commercial buildings that seek to qualify for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certification.

 

The resolution expands the city’s existing Green Building Policy to include commercial buildings that do not meet the existing requirements, as well as single family households, said Dave Smith, environmental specialist for East Lansing.

 

LEED certification is administered through the U.S. Green Building Council and costs various amounts of fees depending on the extent of the building’s qualifications, which correlates to the level of certification.

 

East Lansing continues to create and provide incentives for environmental standards in the city, Mayor Vic Loomis said.

 

“The city of East Lansing has been developing a green building policy and one of the components of that does deal with LEED certification,” he said.

 

Providing this incentive will encourage more residents and developers to seek LEED certification, which has many environmental benefits, Smith said. Currently there are two families interested in the incentives for planned single-family homes, he said.

 

The fund will provide builders with $1,300 for certified or silver status and $2,600 for projects that achieve gold or platinum status, Smith said. The rating levels are based on a third-party evaluation, he said.

 

Money for the reimbursement will come from the city’s water, sewer and general funds and will not exceed $10,000 per year, Smith said.

 

“It won’t be taken away from any projects,” he said. “It’s money that the city has available currently.”

 

The program will be revisited at the end of December 2012 to evaluate the success and ability to continue funding the initiative, Smith said.

 

 

The part I highlighted in red is what I'm not happy with. Ducky if the town wants companies to go green, but they should really stay the eff out of peoples homes, especially ones that aren't going public with their produce.

I think it's great if they are taking more time to decide what to do about public buildings, but utter BS if they are trying to use the time to slip in messing with private citizens.