Coming up

Who: Harrison Commissioners

What: Vote on restricting where medical marijuana facilities can operate

When: 7:30 p.m., Monday

Where: Municipal building, 1 Municipal Drive (off of Springhill Road).

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Updated 8 hours ago

Harrison officials are getting closer to limiting where medical marijuana facilities Dinamobet can go.

Commissioners plan to vote Monday on an ordinance that will restrict medical marijuana dispensaries and processors to the township's business and manufacturing districts.

“I'm in favor of the ordinance,” Commissioners Vice President Bill Heasley said. “We're going to have to be very careful as to how we propose the ordinance, and then we can have it monitored.”

Township officials decided to take action after the state legalized and implemented a medical marijuana program last April.

The proposed amendment also says that a dispensary may not be located within 1,000 feet of the property line of a public, private or parochial school or a day care center.

Harrison's planning commission recommended the amendment after turning to other municipalities, such as Frazer, for guidance.

Frazer amended its zoning to allow medical marijuana growing, processing and dispensing in its industrial zone in December.

Heasley believes that the board will pass the ordinance. He doesn't see any problems with it.

He thinks people might liken these marijuana businesses to selling illegal drugs on the street corner.

“That's not the case,” Heasley said. “It's going to be medical marijuana … it has to be in an enclosed area; it's not for just growth and resale and everything else.”

Heasley said no one in the township has come to him with any concerns regarding medical marijuana, nor is he aware of anyone in Harrison applying for a permit to grow or sell it.

He said anyone interested in growing or selling medical marijuana in Harrison will likely wait until the township passes its ordinance to “see what restrictions may or may not be involved with it.”

Madasyn Czebiniak is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 724-226-4702 or mczebiniak@tribweb.com.

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