Press Release | Office of the Mayor | Westland Considers Marijuana Opt In; Encourages Public Input

For Immediate Release | Official Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

36300 Warren Road | Westland, Michigan | 48185

Office 734.467.3200 | Fax 724.721.2310

WWW.CITYOFWESTLAND.COM

Westland Considers Marijuana Opt In; Encourages Public Input

Westland, MI (August 8, 2019) - The City of Westland is currently considering local ordinances to be in alignment with State law as it relates to allowing medical and recreational marijuana use, grow, retail, transport, and processing operations within Westland city limits.

In November of 2018, Michigan voters passed Proposal 1, which allowed individuals 21 and older to purchase, posses and use marijuana and marijunana-infused edibles for the purpose of recreational use. The bill also created a state licensing system for marijuana businesses and allowed municipalities to ban or restrict them. Approximately 64 % of Westland voters voted in favor of the ballot initiative.

The State has issued draft emergency rules for adult use and anticipates licensing facilities in October 2019. Therefore, the Westland City Council is studying potential ordinances necessary to protect the interests of the City's residents.

The City of Westland has created an area of its website dedicated to the information being examined and shared throughout the ordinance drafting process. The page, which can be found at www.cityofwestland.com under the " Latest News" section of the homepage, includes a proposed list of special meeting dates, the State of Michigan laws, and any maps or other presentation documents shared with study session attendees. Residents are also welcome to attend these open study sessions to provide their elected officials with feedback throughout the decision making process.

"This is an important decision that the city is looking at very carefully," commented Mayor Wild. "In an effort to promote transparency the city wants to make sure that all of the information being reviewed is available to members of the public and encourages input and feedback throughout the process."

To date, the City Council has reviewed a range of topics, including an overview of the state laws, zoning and licensing procedures and permitted uses/establishments.

For more information contact the Mayors office at (734) 467-3200.

Westland, Michigan is the state's 10th largest municipality, with a population of over 84,000 people who exhibit a great deal of pride in their All-American City. Westland has a thriving business community along with beautiful residential areas. The citizens enjoy a wide array of amenities and a quality of life that is second to none.

In 2014, Westland was rated as one of 24/7 Wall Street's America's Best 50 Cities to Live, offering residents and visitors an ideal blend of single-family affordable homes, apartments and condominiums, great schools, and access to numerous outdoor activities. Public safety is delivered by full-service, professional law enforcement and firefighting personnel. Westland Police Department, whose motto is protect and serve, provides emergency dispatch services to four cities and over 100,000 residents; the Western Wayne Fire Association firefighters collaboratively serving the Cities of Wayne and Westland are licensed paramedics who responded to over 13,000 calls for service last year, about 85% being medical based. They never forget their mission of preserving life and property.

Westland is well-known as the premier destination for shopping and dining in Wayne County with hundreds if shops and restaurants anchored by the Westland Shopping Center, on of the country's original four regional malls.

Infinite opportunities are available in Westland for the recreation aficionado including, more that 40 parks and 1,500 acres of trails, a 9-hole golf course, hockey arena, athletic fields, playscapes, a Farmers and Artisans Market and more. One of Michigan's most environmentally friendly cities, Westland has a progressive curbside recycling program with one of the highest participation rates in the nation and the City is raising the bar for cultural experiences with the placement of public art throughout the City.

The City is served by two public school districts; Wayne-Westland Community Schools serving 12,000 youth was recently named one of the Best School in Michigan by WXYZ-TV and is the proud recipient of 14 Golden Apple and two Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards. Livonia Public Schools, educating nearly 15,000 students, is proud of their MEAP/MME scores that exceed state averages and the District has also earned Golden Apple and Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards.

Westland's philosophy is that government should embrace good business principles. Providing oversight over the City's operating budget of $60 million dollars, Westland is the only community in Wayne County with a 3-year balanced budget and an approximately 10 percent budget surplus.

The City provides competitive incentives for those who are interested in investing in Westland, making it one of the hottest investment markets in the region. Our Fast-Track to Business Team, which consists of key decision makers who work diligently on a development plan will "cut the red tape" and expedite the approval process for new business development.