NILES TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WNDU) – Some new changes are coming to Niles Township!
Last year, Niles Township residents voted to allow four marijuana dispensaries to be placed close to the Indiana state line.
But after court documents indicated 150 feet of frontage was necessary for dispensaries, the ordinance was revised to allow for an unlimited number of dispensaries and no frontage requirement.
Ordinance 79-1 passed with a 5 to 1 vote.
Although residents were upset with the decision in consideration of how this could affect children now and, in the years, to come.
Niles township residents gathered inside the Greater Niles Senior Center to hear the verdict for ordinance 79-1, an adoption of a zoning ordinance for marijuana dispensaries that would be close to Indiana state lines.
Before the vote even took place, Brandywine High School bowling coach Pepper Miller shared disappointment in the ordinance, and how high school bowling teams will be affected.
“Just the strip alone was always the family-oriented part of Niles. So, you had hackers, you had Joey’s, and we had paintball. Now with this, and the possibility of all those being sold, three schools will be affected if Joey’s is sold,” said Miller.
One man who is representing one of the businesses that is against this ordinance expressed a conflict of interest between township trustee James H. Ringler, who is listed as the realtor for Hackers, which will be sold due to the ordinance.
“I believe that is a conflict of interest and a violation of Michigan’s ethics code so if this ordinance is passed tonight, I regret to inform you that we will be filing a request for an injunction and filing a lawsuit,” he said.
Ringler recused himself from the vote, but the ordinance still passed with a vote 6 to 1.
Trustee Chris Vella was the only person to vote against the ordinance after residents brought attention to an autism center that would be across from a proposed cannabis location.
“But remember, if you lived in our Township, your grandchildren, and your great grandchildren are going to deal with this for the rest of their lives,” said one resident. “Autism center. We don’t care about the autistic children nice way of putting it, gentlemen and ladies. I’ll tell you what, autism is on the rise in the United States big time, and you guys just blew it under the rug. Thanks for doing that for those children.”
Starting May 1st, applications for marijuana dispensaries will begin to be reviewed.
Since the ordinance allows for an unlimited number of dispensaries, it is unknown how many will be placed at this time.
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