New Buffalo Township Board completes marijuana survey to send to attorney

BY FRANCESCA SAGALA

Members of the New Buffalo Board filled out a survey for attorney Laura Genovich of Foster, Swift, Collins and Smith PC to start drafting a marijuana ordinance for the township at their Monday, Oct. 17, meeting.

Board members approved the following items: to allow medical marijuana facilities and adult use recreational facilities within the township; to allow Grower - Class A; to allow a business to operate both a medical and adult use business in the same location; to allow processors; safety compliance facilities; secure transport; provisioning centers; microbusinesses (adult-use only) and Class A microbusinesses (adult use only); to not impose a cap on the number of each type of establishment; to allow more than one marijuana dispensary business to operate on the same property (if the same company); that some industrial areas that would make sense for growing and some C-1 and C-2 districts and to create an overlay; to keep the minimum distance between establishment and schools.

Board members voted yes on a required minimum distance between establishments and other types of land uses (church, daycare, libraries and residential zones), although New Buffalo Township Supervisor Michelle Heit said she’d get clarification on minimum distances between residential.

Board members are also unsure about keeping the requirement of minimum distance between establishments.

Board members approved a lease agreement from Amtrak for the Marquette Greenway, which includes a payment of $250,000 to Amtrak for payment for the lease as well as accepted and signed the design construction agreement with Amtrak, which includes a payment of $53,724 to Board members approved the following Amtrak. items: to allow medical Marcy Hamilton, deputy marijuana facilities and director/senior planner at the adult use recreational Southwest Michigan Planning facilities within the Commission, said that the township; to allow Grower - Class A; to easement agreement is for a allow a business to 15-foot easement for almost a operate both a medical mile and that the construction and adult use business agreement is with regards to in the same location; to allow processors; safety compliance facilities; Amtrak approving what is going to be bult in the easement. secure transport; She added that the city requested provisioning centers; another $150,000 from The microbusinesses (adult- Pokagon Fund for the project and use only) and Class A microbusinesses the Friends of Berrien County (adult use only); to not Trails was awarded a $25,000 impose a cap on the Upton Foundation grant for it. number of each type of establishment; to allow more than one marijuana dispensary business to operate on the same property (if the same company); that some industrial areas The Friends are kicking off a fundraising campaign to raise the remaining $300,000. The portion from the state line to the trailhead on Smith that would make sense and Mechanic streets in New for growing and some Buffalo will cost $5.6 million. So C-1 and C-2 districts and far, $5.3 million of that has been to create an overlay; to keep the minimum secured. distance between Board members approved establishment and a quote from Baker Tilley for schools. $12,000 for a township sewer rate study. Heit said that the Galien River Sewer District (GRSD) will now be going off a three-year flow average for the township’s billing instead of the actual flow because the actual flow has been fluctuating.

She added that the high lake levels created a lot of extra flow to the plant so there was a lot of extra money coming in. With the levels going down recently, there hasn’t been as much inflow and infiltration but also as much money coming in, which created a shortfall last year.

The study will ensure the township is in line with its rates “to move forward to make sure we can pay what we owe the GRSD,” Heit said.

The township is about 12.5% of the flow, which hasn’t really changed due to the township not having much inflow and infiltration and a good sewer system and recent upgrades.

Board members approved a quote from Severance Electric and K and P Systems for two lighted safety signs at New Buffalo Elementary School in the amount of $12,645.50.

Board members accepted the terms of the engagement letter regarding Straub, Seeman and Allen increasing its hourly rate from $165 to $185 beginning Jan. 1.

A quote from Tim Lally Chevrolet for a Chevy Tahoe for the fire department in the amount of $50,183.50 was approved.

A quote from Berrien County Road Department for $53,889.95 for work on Shedd Road was approved.

The fourth application to Selge Construction for Lift Stations 51, 52 and 53 for $290,983.50 was approved.

During public comment, Cheryl Marie Lynch said that, last month, she’d informed the board how the zoning codes didn’t allow a zoning permit to be issued to Carts on 12 (which is next to her home) to build a 12-foot fence and only a 6-foot one. She said that this has been confirmed by the zoning administrator.

She’d emailed the board details about “numerous additional and ongoing serious problems pertaining to the overall functioning of your Zoning Department” and action should occur “in an expediated manner.”