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Meeting planned over proposed marijuana provisioning center in GR

Posted at 5:11 AM, Oct 23, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-23 05:11:41-04

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Residents on Grand Rapids' Southeast Side have a chance to voice their opinion about a marijuana provisioning center that could soon be opening up in West Michigan.

Linc Up in Grand Rapids, 1167 Madison Avenue SE, is hosting a community meeting from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday to start a discussion over a new medical marijuana provisioning center that may one day open up shop on the city's southeast side.

"There's a proposed marijuana facility coming to 1316 Madison Avenue, and Link Up is not for or against," said Willie Patterson, Engagement Director for Linc Up. "We are for community voice, so it is a community conversation to gain community voice."

An Ann Arbor-based medical marijuana group is proposing the facility near Madison Avenue and Adams Street in Grand Rapids.

"We want to hear what the residents have to say about this proposed facility," Patterson said.

"You have demographics that are starkly against having marijuana in the area, and then you have a demographic that really wants it in the area," he said. "There are concerns with what does that mean for traffic? What does that mean for residents? Are there agreements that can be made to benefit the community?"

The dispensary would be on the first to open in Grand Rapids after marijuana was legalized in Michigan for recreational use but still would only be for medical marijuana patients for now.

"Some of the pros would be more revenue coming into the community," Patterson said. "The cons, again, is drug usage. So you know we have a legalized system, but (marijuana) is still considered a drug."

Anyone is welcome to attend, ask questions, and voice their concerns.

"Make sure you know what's happening in your community," Patterson said.

The Ann Arbor company still has to go before the planning commission committee in the coming months, and the city commission will have to vote before it could open.