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Royal Oak city commissioners approve marijuana licensing ordinance

Posted at 9:42 PM, Jul 27, 2020
and last updated 2020-07-28 12:23:27-04

ROYAL OAK, Mich. (WXYZ) — Recreational marijuana businesses now know where they can set up shop in Royal Oak.

City commissioners passed the ordinance after 11 p.m. Monday night. They voted 5 to 2 in favor on the new ordinance.

Commissioners say they've had 21 public meetings on this issue – of recreational marijuana businesses and where to place them.

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"No ones asking you to not approve marijuana dispensaries, they're just asking you to protect their property values their neighborhoods and their families," said one resident.

Royal Oak residents expressed their concerns, as well as support, during city commission public comment over where recreational marijuana shops should be allowed to open up.

Some residents say the establishments shouldn't be close to schools or neighborhoods.

"I would suggest that the parks and churches along Woodward, patrons they serve, have not suffered negatively from current businesses located close by nor will they with a single facility being allowed," said a resident.

Some expressed concerns about decreased property values, increased traffic and attracting the wrong kind of crowd to the area.

Commissioners approved a recreational marijuana licensing ordinance that prohibits businesses from operating within 1,000 feet of any existing school.

Some people prefer the shops be in industrial areas, away from residential properties.

"There's a whole communal area downtown, and it's there for a reason so people have voted this in, it's not my personal preference, and I would prefer it to be away from the residential areas just because I don't want more people coming into the area that aren't normally here and for that purpose," another resident said.

The breakdown shows nearly 70 percent of Royal Oak residents approved legalizing recreational marijuana when it was on the ballot.

The recreational marijuana licensing ordinance is scheduled to take effect on August 15.