Posted on November 17, 2022 View all news
Jow Tilton
April 19, 2018
David Overholt, Montcalm County marijuana grower and County Commission candidate, is making another attempt at operating a medical marijuana dispensary in Grand Rapids. Overholt opened one there, but it was quickly shut down and the following court case went before the Michigan Court of Appeals in June last year. The Michigan Supreme Court issued Order 154082, refusing to hear the case decided by the Appeals Court.
This new effort will require 10,000 registered-voter signatures on a petition, asking the Council to “opt in” to Michigan’s Marijuana Facilities Licensing Act.
Today (19th) at noon, the “group” will announce the launch of their campaign at the Calder Plaza, Downtown Grand Rapids. A “good crowd” is being requested to show support for the ordinance that if passed, would open the door for marijuana sales. However, according to the Proposal that will be on the November ballot, if passed, villages, towns and cities such as Grand Rapids will be forced to allow pot sales, of any kind, within their borders. Previous disclosures indicate that medical marijuana dispensaries will also be outlets for recreational marijuana, or pot, if or when it’s legalized.
The City of Wyoming took their Ordinance to keep marijuana sales out of their Community, all the way to the Supreme Court, and won. Grand Rapids did not follow suit, leaving a petition drive open, such as the one this group is attempting.
Should the group be successful in their petition, they suggest the ordinance “authorize the establishment of certain types of medical marijuana facilities, provide adoption of reasonable guidelines to protect the health and safety of the Community and work with the City and neighborhoods to mitigate any potential impacts on surrounding properties and persons.”
Overholt calls himself a “cannabis advocate” while naming Michael Tufflemire, board member of MILegalize and Tami VandenBerg as other supporters.
Meetings have been held earlier in Grand Rapids to strategize ways of bringing marijuana sales to that Community. This latest effort has had no response from officials; however they may after the petition kick-off today.
Grand Rapids has already opted “out” of medical marijuana facilities, a provision offered to municipalities in the Medical Marijuana Facilities Licensing Act as passed by the Legislature. In light of that fact, it may be too early to know if a petition could override the previous decision by City officials.
The attraction of opening a “medical” facility for marijuana now would establish a location for pot sales should the November vote be a “yes.”
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