Detroit To Consider Its Pot Situation At Special Meeting

DETROIT (WWJ) The Detroit Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at 5:30 p.m. on proposed regulations for medical marijuana facilities.

The special meeting will take place on the 13th floor of the Coleman A-Young Municipal Center. At issue is whether the businesses should be subject to zoning and other requirements.

"The next hurdle is we need to focus on the zoning ordinance, so people have the convenience and ability to safely and economically get their hands on tested medicine," said Hanna McDaniel, owner of Nature's Alternative, a medical marijuana facility in the city.

There are roughly 150 such facilities in the city, said WWJ's legal analyst Charlie Langton.

In January, some said medical marijuana facilities were the fastest growing business in Detroit. Most recently, the city passed an ordinance regulating such facilities and dictating how close they can be to schools, churches and adult entertainment.

"It's not about being against it. It's about making sure that we're able to regulate it in a way that ensures the best quality of life for the residents who live in that area," Councilman James Tate told WWJ earlier this year.