Charlotte city council votes to allow commercial Marijuana within city
Charlotte could be the first city in Eaton County to have a recreational marijuana dispensary.
The city council had two resolutions on the agenda Monday night relating to marijuana. If marijuana can be sold commercially in a dispensary and where marijuana could be processed, tested and sold. Both ordinances passed with a 6 to 1 majority vote.
It was a packed house on Aug. 21 in Charlotte as the city council decided if they would be approving the commercial sale of marijuana and allowing the first dispensary to come to Eaton County.
Multiple people at the meeting shared their positions during the public hearing. Some were against it.
“I still think marijuana in our town and a cannabis store stinks,” said one Charlotte resident.
“Hastily voting to approve marijuana retail stores, especially unlimited stores in Charlotte, may likely leave our community compromised and divided,” said another Charlotte resident.
“I honestly don’t think allowing a dispensary is going to change anything that’s already going on in downtown Charlotte other than making it a cleaner, better environment for people to actually get legal stuff and not off the streets,” said a Charlotte resident. “Filled out on the ballot, and the public did speak, and they have spoken—they want it,” said one Charlotte resident.
Two resolutions passed Monday night—the commercial sale of marijuana in Charlotte with a 6 to 1 majority and the approval of the planning commission’s cannabis district maps with the same 6 to 1 majority.
The leader of the marijuana conversations, council member Branden Dyer, explained the benefits this will have on Charlotte.
“The economic benefits, the development of vacant or under-utilized properties in the city, the tax revenue we received from the excise tax last year,” said Dyer.
Dyer also explained that the excess tax would go into the city’s general fund, so it could be spent on anything such as schools, roads or budgets like beautifying parks.
Dyer said he thinks Charlotte will have up to three dispensaries over the next few years.
