ROYAL OAK — Officials approved special licenses for three proposed cannabis businesses in a five-hour meeting that lasted until early Tuesday, despite four lawsuits against the city, community opposition and questions about the selection process.
Gatsby Cannabis on Meijer Drive, Royal Treatment on East Harrison and Best Lyfe on Woodward were licensed on Monday night.
Ahead of the committee vote, residents voiced their opposition to permits, including a controversial proposal within 88 feet of a vocational school.
Former mayor Dennis Cowan is representing Gatsby Cannabis, which is seeking a special-use permit for a vacant former motor service building on Meijer Drive to develop, manufacture and operate a sales facility.The city council approved the proposal 5-1, with Monica Hunter abstaining due to a potential conflict of interest.While commissioners were told they could waive some city ordinances at their discretion, Commissioner Melanie Massey voted against Gatsby’s proposal, saying she was uncomfortable with reducing school buffer zones from 1,000 feet to less than 100 feet.
Commissioners praised Gatsby’s overall proposal, calling it a model for other applicants doing business with the city.They appeared impressed with the petitioners’ pledge to award $225,000 a year to local groups, starting with the adjacent Cummingston Park Greenhouse run by the Royal Oak Nature Society.
Until recently, the Gatsby project was opposed by Oakland School, the middle school district that operates a trade school 88 feet away.Under state law, marijuana operations should be at least 1,000 feet from school facilities unless waived by local officials.Gatsby successfully argued, through Cowan, that the trade school was a substandard facility located in an industrial area and therefore ineligible for this buffer consideration.
Former city commissioner James Russo, representing the Royal Treatment, received unanimous approval for the company’s proposal to build a cannabis dispensary in the East Harrison Industrial Estate, which borders the residential complex.Rasor has previously described the proposal as a clean “boutique” operation that would improve nearby residential areas.He noted that this would be more acceptable than other businesses that could legally set up shop at the location, “like a slaughterhouse.”
Michael Thompson, president of the nearby Lawson Park Homeowners Association, said his and others’ efforts to hold a public hearing before a vote on the permit was rejected.This will require the city to send a notice to an address near the proposed site of the Royal Treatment in East Harrison and give 15 days to develop a strategy for the plan.
After the planning committee recommended approval of the royal treatment, Thompson said it was time to propose road changes to isolate the community from the planned pharmacy and increase traffic.
“We didn’t believe we could have this project rejected and have now moved to a compromise and solutions-based mentality,” architect Thompson told The Detroit News ahead of the meeting.
Several members of the homeowners’ group turned up on Monday night to express concerns about the increased traffic.Rasor said Royal Treatment will work with the city to address residents’ transportation problems.
Edward Mamou, owner of Rasor and Royal Treatment, said the company will set aside $10,000 a year for Royal Oak’s charities.
Michael Kessler has proposed a micro-marijuana business in a former mattress business and restaurant 14 miles south of Woodward’s west side.
Kessler said the plant will be allowed to grow 150 plants and produce and package them for sale at the site.Kessler has been involved in similar cannabis operations in Detroit, Bay City and Saginaw since 2015.
Ron Arnold, who lives in the Lawson Park area, said the royal treatment pharmacy would lead to an increase in “hundreds of motorists a day” and would impact pedestrian safety, the ability of fire services to access the community and the “walkability” of the city of.
“I don’t want to do any business near me,” he said.”Whether it’s McDonald’s or marijuana.”
“It’s in an industrial area of the city, with no residents next to it, there should be no traffic problems there,” he said.
Some of the 32 applicants filed the lawsuits, arguing they were willfully ignored for consideration.The applicant argued that the selected candidates received preferential treatment from the committee due to political favoritism.Larger, more experienced cannabis retailers, such as Attitude Wellness, which is part of Lume Cannabis Co., have been overlooked, the statement said.
“Lume Cannabis Co. is the state’s leading cannabis company with a proven track record of providing Michigan patients and consumers with high-quality, safe and rigorously tested cannabis at affordable prices,” said attorney representing Attitude Wellness Kevin Blair said.
“Lumen works with more than 30 local communities, large and small, to create jobs, investments and opportunities in Michigan,” said Blair.”That’s why we’re deeply disappointed by Royal Oak’s secretive and flawed licensing process, which appears to put politics and personal relationships over experience and results.”
Brian Etzel, a lawyer representing Birmingham-based Quality Roots who was not selected, said “to compensate for their lack of experience and qualifications, Gatsby and the Royal Treatment each employed a former elected official – a former Mayor Dennis Cowan and former City Commissioner James Russo — as their respective representatives and advisors to lobby city officials.”
An Oakland Circuit Court judge denied a request for a temporary restraining order against the city, but the lawsuit is still pending.
City activists, such as the Royal Oak Accountability and Accountability (ROAR) group, believe officials may be unduly influenced by Cowan and Rasor.
Mayor Michael Fournier and Senior Commissioner Sharlan Douglas are members of the City Planning Commission and City Council.
Both received support from either Cowan or Rasor, including campaign contributions, endorsements and fundraisers.Such activities are legal and not uncommon, but lead critics to complain about the influence of special interests.
Post time: Apr-27-2022
