Grand Rapids to Use Lottery System for Facility Applications
Grand Rapids, Michigan, will begin accepting medical marijuana facility requests on Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018. To determine the order in which proposals will be considered by the city planning commission, the city will use a lottery system.
Grand Rapids will allow a limited number of medical marijuana facilities based on distances from residential districts, parks, schools, religious institutions, treatment facilities and other marijuana facilities.
The lottery benefits people from out of town as opposed to a scoring system, which rewards applicants who have experience in the local community.
On July 24, the city commission voted 6-0 to adopt an ordinance that allows medical marijuana facilities in Grand Rapids with special land use approval. The ordinance included separation distances that allows for a maximum of 53 dispensaries and up to 83 growers, processors, secure transports and safety compliance offices.
The lottery will only be for applications submitted during business hours on Nov. 1. Priority will be given to applicants who have voluntary equitable development agreement, a three-party agreement that shows the proposal benefits the investor, city and a community-based organization.
Applications can only be submitted in person to the city’s development center, 1120 Monroe Ave. NW. Once an application is submitted, the planning staff will review it to determine if it’s complete.
The application checklist includes:
- Statement of consent by property owner
- LARA application documents
- Documentation of required separation distances
- Proof of insurance
- Building elevations and site plan
- Sign and lighting plans
- Operations and management plan
- Draft of good neighbor plan
- Crime prevention through environment development plan
- Voluntary Equitable Development Agreement (VEDA)
The $5,000 application fee approved by the city commission includes the $2,015 fee for special land use requests.
Once an application is deemed complete by the planning staff, it will be placed on the next available planning commission meeting agenda to be considered.
Landon Bartley, senior city planner for Grand Rapids, said the lottery will be a public event likely to take place on Nov. 2, though event details have not yet been finalized.
