Weed proposals on ballot in Royal Oak Twp., Clawson, Lathrup Village

As metro Detroit voters prepare to weigh their options at the voting booth this fall, voters in a few metro Detroit communities will have another hot-button issue to consider: cannabis.

Marijuana has been legalized recreationally statewide since December 2018, with the first state-licensed sales taking place a year later, in December 2019.

But not every community has pot shops nearby. Baked into the legislation that freed the weed was a carve-out allowing municipalities to ban or restrict marijuana businesses from opening in their communities. These metro Detroit communities will confront this issue, voting on marijuana-related proposals in the general election on Nov. 5.

Royal Oak Township

Residents of Royal Oak Township will be asked to decide if the Charter Township of Royal Oak should “completely prohibit marijuana establishments.” According to Oakland County’s official ballot list, it will be the only proposal on the ballot.

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City of Clawson

Clawson will have an amendment proposal, which, if passed, would open a path for two recreational cannabis stores in the city.

A nearly identical charter amendment proposal was raised in four other metro Detroit cities (Farmington, South Lyon, Sylvan Lake, and Wixom) but was struck down in court on Sept. 3 by the Michigan Court of Appeals.

The court ruled that “voter-initiated” petitions cannot alter the city’s charter. This ballot proposal seeks to alter the city charter, though it is unclear what party proposed the charter amendment in Clawson.

Clawson city officials did not return multiple voice messages left by the Free Press with the clerk’s office.

The ballot language reads: “This proposed charter amendment, if adopted, would establish an application process, selection criteria, licenses, fees, and regulations for two adult use retail cannabis establishments in the City. Shall The Proposal be Adopted?”

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Lathrup Village

There are two pot-related ballot proposals on the docket in Lathrup Village.

In the first proposal, citizens will be voting on whether or not they would like to repeal a previously instituted law that prohibited cannabis dispensaries in the city.

In the second, citizens are asked — with nearly identical language from the Clawson ballot — to vote on an amendment that would change their ordinance, “to authorize and allow cannabis businesses and establish an application process, selection criteria, licenses, fees, and regulations for two retail facilities and two safety compliance facilities in the City.”

To view your ballot, use the Michigan Voter Information Center, where you can find samples of ballots in your community.

News reporter Liam Rappleye can be reached at LRappleye@freepress.com

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