[420 Girl]

Two local municipalities have passed resolutions designed to put the brakes on so-called medical marijuana compassion centers.

The Marysville City Council approved a resolution Monday that prevents marijuana from being distributed in the city indefinitely. Kimball Township officials approved a six-month moratorium earlier this month.

Marysville City Manager Jack Schumacher said the state legislation that makes medical marijuana legal is so vague and confusing officials don't know what it allows. He said the moratorium will remain in place until local officials straighten out the state law.

It was proposed, Schumacher said, after a husband and wife approached Kimball Township officials in March about opening a compassion center.

The center, Debra and Jim Amsdill have said, would include a membership room where people registered through the Michigan Medical Marijuana Program could smoke pot. They described the business as a place where patients and caregivers could meet, network and have informational meetings. There are about 40 such clubs across the state.

Schumacher said the resolution was a proactive step taken after officials saw the confusion the issue caused in Kimball. It does not prevent registered medical marijuana users from using the drug, he said.

Kimball Township Supervisor Rob Usakowski said the moratorium passed there gives the planning commission time to include compassion centers in zoning ordinances.

Members of the township's board of trustees requested the planning commission address specific details of the centers, including how far from a school they can be, signage and hours of operation.

The Amsdills of Kimball Township proposed opening a compassion center in the Sawmill Commons strip mall, 4731 Lapeer Road. The proposal wasn't met with fanfare from local officials, who were concerned the center would be about 400 feet from Landmark Academy, a charter school.

Marysville Mayor Gary Orr said he wanted to make sure he had answers if someone came to the City Council with such a business proposal.

He wants to see local ordinances passed establishing guidelines for where compassion centers could open. Orr said he hopes such ordinances can be adopted by the end of the year.

"We've got an awful lot of discovery and research," he said.


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