The City of Lansing has finished the first phase of the review and appeal process for medical marijuana provisioning centers approving 20 for operation and denying 65 others.
Lansing City Clerk Chris Swope said it was a long and painstaking process.
“We learned a lot so we’re hoping to do it better with phase two with the next five licenses,” said Swope.
While deciding which applications to approve and which to deny, Swope said he focused on the economic costs and benefits to the city.
“We looked at patient safety, we looked at resident safety for nearby residents and we also looked at economic development,” said Swope. “These people are putting millions of dollars into our city, not just the product but actually building improvements and construction as well as long term jobs. We were looking out for those three things safety, impact on residents and economic development.”
All applicants completed a background check and must receive approval by the Fire Department and Building Safety for code compliance annually.
Applicants must also receive approval from the State of Michigan before receiving their license.
To see the list of approved applicants from the City Clerk, visit www.lansingmi.gov/marijuana.