The City of Saginaw’s seventh marijuana dispensary has a go-ahead to locate on Gratiot Avenue, which removes the question from City Council authority.
Members of the Zoning Board of Appeals granted a waiver on Feb. 1 for Vassar-based Premier Provisioning to go into business in the former Hamilton Home Bakery on 1030 Gratiot, across from Fordney Park. Premier already has a smaller shop at 915 East Genesee across from the old Shorthorn’s Meat Market.
When the previous City Council took steps in 2019 and 2020 to allow cannabis stores under a 2018 state referendum vote, this established a legal process with Zoning Board oversight, and the five members on Feb. 1 all said they are locked in by the law, regardless of their personal feelings on regulated legalization.
Former mayor Dennis Browning chairs the zoning board, which also includes George Copeland (current City Council member), Jamie Forbes (past councilwoman), Bruce Cale and Dr. Jack Nash.
A new aspect came into play at this meeting. The location is near an awkward angle turn onto Brockway that has created historic high accident counts. Premier also owns smaller buildings at the point of the intersection, which it planned to use until the bakery became available. Now those buildings are slated for demolition by the Premier Provisioning owners, which will improve sight lines for motorists.
Objections were raised by Joyce Seals and Sandra Robinson from the Saginaw County Prevention Coalition, formerly Judge Faye Harrison’s Family Youth Initiative. They quoted statistics that cite increased marijuana use beginning at middle school ages, and said the newly emerging storefronts will make the problem worse. They plan to continue their protests when the City Council meets on Feb. 6, after deadlocking on Jan. 23.
A 10 percent excise tax on cannabis purchases goes to the state, which redistributes some of the money to aid local governing units. This comes to about $60,000 per year per dispensary. Most of Michigan’s mid-size cities have opened their doors. while more affluent suburbs have turned down the choice.
City Councilman Bill Ostash made the point on Jan. 23 that legalization is intended to reduce imprisonment for illegal marijuana trafficking and use, with arrests and jail sentences that are out of proportion for the minority populations. He served on both the City Council and the Planning Commission when the original decisions took place three years ago.
The strongest opponent among newer Council members has been Monique Lamar Silvia.
