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Warren and Roseville battle over proposed medical marijuana facility

Posted at 11:06 PM, Feb 21, 2020
and last updated 2020-02-21 23:16:47-05

WARREN, Mich. (WXYZ) — You may have seen digital billboards along Groesbeck Highway in Roseville, opposing a proposed medical marijuana facility on Warren.

Now officials in Warren and Roseville are speaking out.

The people I spoke to are split about this proposed medical marijuana facility. However, officials from both Warren and Roseville say they don’t want this provisioning near the neighborhood.

It brings business to the area I like it,” says Rosellvile resident Sean Downey. “Some people are mad because it’s close to schools and children but it’s not like their giving the drugs to the children. It’s legal in our state, mostly and really, I don’t have a problem with it.”

It’s an issue that’s garnered a lot of attention - a proposed medical facility in the area of Hayes and 11 Mile in Warren near the Roseville border.

“If the negative effects requiring a 500 foot buffer from residential in Warren are necessary for their residents, they should be equally applicable to our residents in the city of Roseville,” says Timothy Tomlinson, city attorney for Roseville.

According to a Warren city ordinance a marijuana facility must be at least 500 feet from where people live, it doesn’t apply for Roseville residents who live across the street from the proposed facility.

“Overall I have been concerned about too many marijuana facilities being located next to residential areas and that’s why I vetoed a number of these proposals,” says Warren Mayor Jim Fouts. “I think it should be located in an industrial area or an area away from residential neighborhoods.”

But both Roseville and Warren city officials agree. The facility shouldn’t be near homes or neighborhoods.

After 7 Action News attended a city council meeting last month where residents voiced their displeasure about the facility, Warren City Council held an emergency meeting to discuss plans for the proposed facility.

Roseville residents say more needs to be discussed

“I think they definitely need to put the breaks on before it gets out of hand, they’ve got to have regulations,” says Dan Lindquist. “You don’t need to open the door and there’s one and you go down the street and there’s another one.”

We’re told Defend Roseville paid for the billboards.

The Warren City Council tabled a decision on the facility until March 9.