Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


The Village of Fowlerville is working to be proactive in potentially setting up rules that could allow for marijuana establishments in the municipality.

It’s not something the Village or Council initiated or necessarily supports – it was basically forced by a group similar to what’s happened in other local communities.

The Village received a ballot initiative by a group, which contained provisions restricting its ability to impose regulations. Council was then advised by legal counsel to create its own ordinance to establish how they want to handle the issue, versus having a measure forced onto the ballot with different parameters.

A Marihuana Committee was created by the Village to work on a proposed ordinance, zoning and facilities licensing, as well as related issues. Committee discussions have centered around having one license for retail operations in the business center, and potentially grower/processor facilities in industrial areas.

The Village Council met Monday night and discussed the matter, and also received an update from Village Attorney David Stoker. He referenced a recent precedent-setting appeals court case, which he said was actually favorable news for the Village.

Stoker continued to recommend that the Village proceed with drafting an ordinance - since it has already invested a good amount of time, work, and money. The Village does not have to adopt the ordinance or regulations, and Council could just table or sit on it or even modify it later if needed.
In doing so, if another petition were to surface from a group, then the Village would be prepared and have something on the books it could enact - versus a ballot measure with different, less favorable parameters.

Some items to be taken into account for regulations by the Village relates to buffer zones, odor, and protections for the impact on the sewer system.

Village Manager/Clerk Kathy Gutzki spoke with WHMI after the meeting and said there was a ballot initiative imposed on the Village and their Attorney found some language that did not pertain to Villages, so it did not go through on the ballot. However, he recommended that in the meantime that Village establish an ordinance that could address another ballot initiative if it were to happen.
Gutzki clarified that they are under attorney advisement as to what the Village should be doing – it is not necessarily that Council wants a marijuana establishment – it’s just under advisement as to what the Village should be doing at this point.

The Committee consists of three members from Council and three from the Planning Commission, which was tasked with just looking at a potential marijuana ordinance. Its next meeting is October 21st. Gutzki said it could make a recommendation to Council, and they’ll go from there.

Only one person spoke on the topic during call to the public - a woman representing a group against allowing such facilities in the small, family community. She stressed that they want to protect youth and prevent accompanying issues such as addiction.

Police Chief John Tyler also weighed in on the issue during the meeting. He stated there has been a lot of false information being spread – even from other municipalities that it clearly not true. Tyler said hopefully they can get things clarified and people are getting their questions answered – noting that even when it was medical marijuana, it’s always been an issue. He stressed they have the best intentions and are just trying to do their due diligence and what’s right since they are a Village and not a City or Township.