Medical Cannabis (Marijuana)

Recreational Cannabis

Looking for info on recreational cannabis? We've launched a new Recreational Cannabis page.

Recreational Cannabis

 

 

Applications for Medical Cannabis Facilities

We've provided a table and map view of the active applications for medical cannabis facilities in Grand Rapids.

View Applications

Current Licensees

There are currently several state-licensed medical cannabis facilities operating within the City of Grand Rapids.

Several medical cannabis facilities have been approved by the Planning Commission and may be in process. View the applications and their status using the link above.

A map of all licensed cannabis businesses in the State of Michigan is available online here.

Recreational Use

Check out our new recreational cannabis webpage with the latest information about adult-use cannabis and resources for the application process. For more information about the State's recreational cannabis law, Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act (MRTMA), click on this link. 

Effective Date for Medical Cannabis Ordinance

The Zoning Ordinance sections pertaining to medical cannabis became effective on January 18, 2019, which allowed acceptance of applications for support industry facility types - Safety Compliance Facilities and Secure Transporters - starting on January 22, 2019. Applications for core industry types - Growers, Processors, and Provisioning Centers - were accepted starting on March 4, 2019. While a draw to schedule the order of consideration for core industry facilities (more details here) took place on April 26, 2019, we continue to accept complete applications at any time. Contact Planning Staff if you plan to apply to open a facility - a significant amount of time and work is required to prepare a complete application.

Keep an eye on this page for more updates.

Cannabis Licensing Ordinance

Cannabis Licensing Ordinance

The Planning Department presented a draft licensing ordinance for cannabis licenses to the Committee of the Whole on September 24, 2019. The City Commission adopted the ordinance on October 8, 2019, which will go into effect on October 19, 2019.

Purpose

The licensing ordinance:

  1. Act as a de facto opt-in for recreational cannabis uses
  2. Require a local license for all cannabis license types
  3. Track licensee commitments (such as in the MIVEDA, or as the Planning Commission's conditions of approval)
  4. Provide for additional enforcement capabilities
  5. Require basic energy reporting & Universal Design
  6. Require energy efficiency for cannabis growers
  7. Allow zoning approvals for medical cannabis uses received prior to April 2020 to act as a temporary operating license

Important: The proposed ordinance simply addresses all cannabis license types, and would allow staff to begin accepting recreational cannabis applications approximately six (6) months from the ordinance's effective date, which would be in April 2020. This will give staff adequate time to understand community needs and develop reasonable regulations for any or all recreational license types. 

Contact Cannabis Manager Al Romero-Gibu in the Planning Department with questions.

Al Romero-Gibu
Cannabis Manager
aromero@grcity.us
616-456-3554

Final Adopted Ordinance Language

October 8, 2019

Watch Meeting Video

September 24, 2019

Watch Presentation

Cannabis Update to Committee of the Whole

The Planning Department presented an update on cannabis in Grand Rapids to the Committee of the Whole on September 10, 2019.

Purpose

  1. Status of cannabis regulations in Michigan
  2. Progress review of medical cannabis applications in City
  3. Preliminary discussion of local recreational cannabis ordinance(s) and next steps

Watch Presentation

Medical Cannabis Ordinance & Separation Distances

Overview

Where permitted, cannabis growers, processors, and provisioning centers will require Special Land Use approval by the Planning Commission, including a public hearing. Applicants will be required to receive prequalification from LARA prior to applying for SLU approval. We began accepting applications for these license types on March 4, 2019.

Where permitted, cannabis safety compliance facilities and secure transporters will require Director Review by Planning staff. Applicants will not be required to receive prequalification from LARA prior to applying for local approval. We began accepting applications for these license types on January 22, 2019.

Download a one-page summary infographic of the ordinance

Summary of Zone District Regulations

Facility Type Most Commercial Zones Neighborhood Office Service (NOS) Zone City Center (CC) Zone Industrial (SD-IT) Zone
Grower  Not allowed Not allowed Not allowed Special Land Use
Processor Special Land Use Not allowed Not allowed Special Land Use
Provisioning Center Special Land Use Special Land Use Not allowed Special Land Use*
Safety Compliance Facility Director Review Director Review Not allowed Director Review
Secure Transporter Not allowed Not allowed Not allowed Director Review

*Provisioning Centers located in Industrial Zones must be accessory to (co-located and no more than 25% gross floor area) a Grower and/or Processor.

Separation Distances

1,000' Separation from

  • Public or Private K-12 Schools
  • Licensed Childcare Centers
  • Publicly-Owned Parks & Playgrounds*
  • Religious Institutions*
  • Licensed Substance Use Disorder Programs*

*Unless waived by the Planning Commission
Childcare centers & schools are not eligible for a waiver

1,000' Separation from

  • Residentially-Zoned Parcels along the Same Primary Street Frontage*

*Not eligible for a waiver

2,000' Separation from

  • Another Provisioning Center*

*If commercially zoned

1,000' Separation from

  • Another Medical Cannabis Facility*

*Not eligible for a waiver

How to Measure Distances

Distances are measured as the crow flies from the property boundary (not entrances), except for the residential-zone separation requirement. Golf courses and cemeteries are not included in the definition of "parks and playgrounds."

Residential Zone Separation

For the residential zone separation requirement, the distance is measured from the property boundary along the street. This measurement may follow bends or curves of the street, but does not turn a corner. Residentially-zoned properties located immediately behind a subject property would generally not require separation. Residentially-zoned properties fronting on the same street and within 1,000' would. For corner properties, measure only along the primary street frontage. The primary street frontage is that with the highest traffic counts per the MDOT website.

Full Ordinance

The City Commission approved an ordinance allowing medical cannabis in Grand Rapids at their meeting on July 24, 2018, and amendments to that ordinance on December 18, 2018.

Download Ordinance(PDF, 113KB)

Application Process

We continue to accept applications. Application forms can be downloaded from the Forms page, which also contains a link to the online application form.

Applications should be submitted either via the online application form, or in person using printed forms, attachments, and a digital copy of all application materials. 

How Applications Are Ordered

For core industry uses (grower, processor, and provisioning center) that require Special Land Use approval from the Planning Commission, the order in which the applications are considered is important. This is because of the required separation distance between cannabis facilities, which can be 1,000 or 2,000 feet depending on the facility type.

All applications requiring Planning Commission approval are entered into a queue. A draw took place on April 26, 2019 for all applications received between March 4 and March 15, which set the queue order for those applications based on their pick in the draw. You can view a video of the draw here. Any applications received after the draw window are placed into the queue in the order in which staff finds that applications are complete. Required pre-application meetings with staff may help to limit the number of items missing from an initial application submittal. A significant amount of time is generally needed to prepare a complete application, including time for required meetings with neighbors, City staff, and others. Please plan accordingly.

Influence Areas

Influence Area Map(PDF, 179KB)

How Influence Areas Work

 

TL;DW - If the approval or denial of one application could directly or indirectly affect the eligibility of another application (because of the required separation distance between cannabis facilities), the two applications are in the same influence area. There are 21 influence areas around the City. Applications are placed on Planning Commission agendas in order of their queue order, except that two applications in the same influence area will not be considered by the Planning Commission at the same meeting. While this model results in some complexity in the scheduling process and the potential for delays within a given area, allows for the Planning Commission to carefully consider each application on its own merits in reference to the Special Land Use review standards, and limits conflicts between nearby applications.

Please note that the "Maximum Facilities" noted on the Influence Area map for any particular area is not a cap. The City of Grand Rapids does not assign caps for any license type, but rather limits the number and location of cannabis facilities through zoning and separation distances. Rather, the "Maximum Facilities" number is an estimate of the maximum potential number of facilities that could possibly be located within an influence area, if all facilities were perfectly spaced apart based on ordinance requirements. The size and location of influence areas is subject to change as land uses change.

Application Status Details

As we receive applications, we post selected application information online here.

Details Posted to Website

  • Address of Proposed Facility
  • Type of Facility
  • Separation Distance (once in effect)
  • Influence Area
  • Queue order
  • Date of Public Hearing, if required (once scheduled)
  • Application Status 

As applications are scheduled on a Planning Commission agenda, documents will be posted about two weeks prior to the meeting on the City's Boards and Commissions web portal, located online at grandrapidscitymi.iqm2.com.

Forms

Online Application

You can apply for a license online through our Accela Citizen Access third-party system.

Online application


Other Forms


Resources

Ordinance and Separation Requirements

Suitable Sites

Planning staff is not able to confirm whether a location meets separation requirements. Applicants will be expected to perform their own due diligence in this respect. However, we are providing this list of addresses/parcel numbers that will provide general guidance for site location:

SOURCE FILES (UPDATED 9/5/2018)

*Note: you may need additional software to use the GIS shapefiles.

INFOGRAPHIC

We've created a one-page summary infographic describing the cannabis ordinance. Check it out!(PDF, 989KB)

POLICIES

Online Map

We're providing both an online and paper map to show potential and general locations of suitable properties. Keep in mind that this does not guarantee suitability. Applicants will be expected to perform their own due diligence to ensure a location meets separation requirements.

Videos

Other Resources


Contacts

Planning Department

For general questions and to subscribe to receive updates, email the Planning Department.

Al Romero-Gibu
Cannabis Manager
aromero@grcity.us
616-456-3554

Previously Sent Updates

December 3, 2019

Email Sent December 3, 2019(PDF, 128KB)

ATTACHMENTS

May 31, 2019

Email Sent May 31, 2019(PDF, 169KB)

April 30, 2019

Email Sent April 30, 2019(PDF, 115KB)

ATTACHMENTS

April 24, 2019

Email Sent April 24, 2019(PDF, 108KB)

April 12, 2019

Email Sent April 12, 2019(PDF, 116KB)

ATTACHMENTS

Administrative Policy 19-02(PDF, 511KB)

March 25, 2019

Email Sent March 25, 2019(PDF, 112KB)

March 11, 2019

Email Sent March 11, 2019(PDF, 155KB)

ATTACHMENTS

3/1/19 presentation slides(PDF, 454KB)

February 21, 2019

Email Sent February 21, 2019(PDF, 139KB)

January 24, 2019

Email Sent January 24, 2019(PDF, 169KB)

ATTACHMENTS

Good Neighbor Plan template(PDF, 268KB)

December 5, 2018

Email Sent December 5, 2018(PDF, 122KB)

November 30, 2018

Email Sent November 30, 2018(PDF, 120KB)

November 13, 2018

Email Sent November 13, 2018(PDF, 116KB)

October 24, 2018

Email Sent October 24, 2018(PDF, 118KB)

ATTACHMENTS

Proposed Ordinance Amendments(PDF, 207KB)

October 18, 2018

Email Sent October 18, 2018(PDF, 125KB)

ATTACHMENTS

City Commission Work Session Discussion Guide(PDF, 649KB)

October 9, 2018

Email Sent October 9, 2018(PDF, 109KB)

September 18, 2018

Email Sent September 18, 2018(PDF, 149KB)

August 16, 2018

Email Sent August 16, 2018(PDF, 129KB)

July 30, 2018

Email Sent July 30, 2018(PDF, 115KB)

Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) Plans

Contact GRPD's Crime Prevention Coordinator.

Julie Niemchick
Crime Prevention Coordinator
jniemchick@grcity.us
616-456-3363

MicroLBE Contracting Questions and List

Contact the City's Office of Diversity and Inclusion

Alvin Hills
Business Developer
ahills@grcity.us
616-456-3449

Neighborhoods

Here's a template for a Good Neighbor Plan(PDF, 268KB) to be used by practitioners and neighborhoods. Also refer to Section 5.12.06. of the Ordinance for more information on community engagement and this kind of Plan.

The Community Research Institute keeps the most up-to-date contact info for Grand Rapids neighborhood associations. You'll leave our site to use their neighborhood lookup tool.

Business Areas and Associations

CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS (CIDS)

The City's Economic Development Department coordinates contact with CIDs. Contact their office by email to get in touch with a CID. Use our map to see CID boundaries.

Economic Development Department
econdevshrd@grcity.us

BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS

The Neighborhood Business Alliance coordinates business associations around the City. You can find information and links to business associations on the NBA's website.

Industrial Pretreatment Program

The City's Industrial Pretreatment Program (IPP) controls the release of toxic substances into the wastewater system by monitoring the discharge of significant industrial users. Growers, processing labs, and safety compliance facilities may be subject to this program.

Any or all of the following may apply to cannabis facilities:

CONTACT THE INDUSTRIAL PRETREATMENT PROGRAM

Industrial Pretreatment Program
IPP@grcity.us
616-456-3260


Informational Meetings

We partnered with the Kent County Health Department to host several educational events this summer. The meetings were intended to help the community understand how the cannabis industry and laws might affect them.

More Information

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

We hosted an informational meeting in March 2019, just prior to the application start date for core industry license types.

March 1, 2019 Practitioner Meeting

Agenda: Application process and timeline, MIVEDA, fees & refunds, final application preparation tasks
Audience: Prospective cannabis business owners and applicants

View video of this meeting

Download full-page color slides(PDF, 851KB) or 3-per page handout(PDF, 454KB)

We also hosted several informational meetings in early January 2019 to help inform and clarify adopted ordinances and policies surrounding medical cannabis in Grand Rapids.

January 3, 2019 Practitioner Meeting

Agenda: Ordinance, timeline, Good Neighbor Plans, steps for applicants
Audience: Prospective cannabis business owners and applicants

View video of this meeting

Public Meetings (January 3 and 4, 2019)

Agenda: Discussion of the ordinance, timeline, Good Neighbor Plans, role as neighbors
Audience: Citizens, neighborhood representatives, nearby business owners and business district representatives

Handouts/Items Discussed at January Meetings

Presentation Handouts: Practitioner meeting(PDF, 379KB) Public meetings(PDF, 430KB)
Infographic(PDF, 989KB)
Draft Good Neighbor Plan template(PDF, 268KB)
Special Land Use application(PDF, 462KB) (for core industry license types - growers, processors, provisioning centers)
Director Review application(PDF, 453KB) (for support industry license types - safety compliance and secure transport)
Supplemental application(PDF, 342KB) (for all license types)
MIVEDA Checklist
Map of Influence Areas(PDF, 179KB)
Link to MicroLBE policy (04-01) and list of companies - open "Equal Business Opportunities"
Marijuana fee refund policy (bottom of page 3)
Marijuana ordinance, as adopted and amended
2019 Planning Commission meeting calendar

We hosted an informational meeting in August 2018 to discuss the ordinance (which would later be amended).

August 8, 2018 Practitioner Meeting

Agenda: Ordinance, separation distances, data sources, expected timeline, community engagement
Audience: Prospective cannabis business owners and applicants

View video of this meeting


Background Information

July 24 Ordinance

Download the ordinance adopted on July 24, 2018

Note

This ordinance is not the final adopted ordinance. That ordinance was adopted on December 4, 2018. View the Final Ordinance.

Ordinance Process

Staff prepared ordinance language for a Planning Commission public hearing at their May 24, 2018 meeting. At that meeting, the Planning Commission recommended deletions of several provisions of the ordinance to increase the number of available locations for cannabis facilities, as well as other changes. The Planning Commission recommended the amended ordinance to the City Commission for approval.

The City Commission reviewed the ordinance and hosted a public hearing on July 10, 2018.

Public Hearing - July 10, 2018

The City Commission held a public hearing for the medical cannabis ordinance on July 10, 2018, at which many people commented. 

Hybrid Ordinance Prepared but Discarded

Since the public hearing on July 10, 2018, we prepared a new hybrid ordinance. This included provisions for cannabis microbusinesses in anticipation of the ballot initiative to permit recreational cannabis passed by voters in November 2018. The City Commission ultimately did not review this ordinance at their meeting on July 24th, 2018.

Submit Your Comments

You can send correspondence to the City Commission by way of the Office of the City Clerk at any time. Their info is in the Contact Us section of their page. Send them an email or write a letter addressed to the City Commission.

The Data

We prepared interactive maps to help you make sense of different ordinance recommendations that were considered prior to the adoption of the ordinance.

We also prepared a document called the Cannabis Compendium to help provide some background on the legislation, initiatives, and data surrounding this topic.

Annual Fee

$5,000

Zoning Requirements

Under this proposal all non-microbusiness medical cannabis facilities would be subject to the following separation requirements: 

  • 1,000 feet from a child care center, or a public or private K-12 school
  • 1,000 feet from a publicly owned park or playground
  • 1,000 feet from a church or place of worship
  • 1,000 feet from a substance abuse clinic or rehabilitation facility
  • 250 feet from a residential zone district (Article 5)
  • 600 feet from another medical marijuana facility, or facilities located on the same parcel

All cannabis microbusinesses would be subject to the following separation requirements: 

  • 1,000 feet from a child care center, or a public or private K-12 school
  • 1,000 feet from a publicly owned park or playground
  • 1,000 feet from another medical cannabis facility, or facilities located on the same parcel

Adjoining Local Jurisdictions

A 1,000 feet separation distance would be required for all cannabis facilities from adjoining local jurisdictions. 

Grower License Stacking

Permits the stacking of grower licenses to permit more plants than would otherwise be allowed for the license.

Co-Location of Facilities

Allows more that one license (grower, processor, and/or provisioning center) to be located on the same parcel.

Other Requirements

  • Good Neighbor Plan
  • Voluntary Equitable Development Agreement

Annual Fee

None

Zoning Requirements

Under this proposal zoning restrictions vary based on facility type.

Provisioning Centers

  • 1,000 feet from a child care center, or a public or private K-12 school
  • 1,000 feet from a publicly owned park or playground
  • 1,000 feet from another facility, or facilities located on the same parcel

Growers, Processors, Secure Transporters, and Safety Compliance Facilities

  • 1,000 feet from child care centers, or a public or private K-12 school
  • 600 feet from another medical cannabis facility, or facilities located on the same parcel

Adjoining Local Jurisdictions

A 1,000 feet separation distance would not be required from uses and residential zone districts in adjoining local jurisdictions. 

Grower License Stacking

Permits the stacking of grower licenses to permit more plants than would otherwise be allowed for the license.

Co-Location of Facilities

Allows more that one license (grower, processor, and/or provisioning center) to be located on the same parcel.

Other Requirements

None

Types of Facilities

The State passed the Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act in September 2016 to allow certain types of cannabis facilities:

Local Control

The State law allows local municipalities to choose whether to allow any of the types of facilities. If the local government takes no action, then no facilities are allowed. To allow the facilities, a local government must enact an ordinance explicitly authorizing them.

Resources

State Legislative Reports

Fiscal Year 2018 Sec. 507 - Medical Marihuana

Fiscal Year 2018 Sec. 519 - Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing and Tracking Program

Fiscal Year 2017 Sec. 507 - Medical Marihuana

Fiscal Year 2016 Sec. 507 - Medical Marihuana

Fiscal Year 2016 Sec. 902(1) - Medical Marihuana Registry Identification Cards

Contact

Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA)
Bureau of Medical Marihuana Regulation
Michigan Medical Marihuana Program
PO Box 30083
Lansing, MI 48909

Phone: 517-284-6400

Email: LARA-BMMR-MMMPINFO@michigan.gov

Primary Staff Contact

Development Center

Al Romero-Gibu

Cannabis Manager

 

Email

aromero@grcity.us

 

Phone

616-456-3554

Interactive Maps

Get a closer look at the data. See the potential locations of suitable facilities under the ordinance.

Interactive Maps

Reminder: Applicants are ultimately responsible for determining compliance with ordinance requirements.

State Licensing

The State of Michigan's Department of Licensing And Regulatory Affairs (LARA) oversees the State licensing process.

State Licensing

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