ROGERS TOWNSHIP — The Rogers Township Board of Trustees on Monday reviewed but did not take action on a draft recreational marijuana ordinance that would allow the drug to be sold at retail establishments.

Voters legalized marijuana possession and use for recreational purposes nearly a year ago, but allowed local governments to prohibit commercial sales within their borders.

The Rogers Township board did so earlier this year, but trustees are reconsidering what kind of establishments they might allow in the township because of an interest from an existing medical marijuana business in the township.

Scott Schroeder and Michael Atkins, of Meds Cafe, the township’s only medical marijuana establishment, have expressed interest in selling recreational marijuana at their business. If the township were to approve the ordinance, Schroeder and Atkins would be eligible to apply for marijuana licenses Nov. 1.

The state has said it will give existing businesses with medical marijuana licenses first consideration when they apply for licenses allowing them to sell recreational marijuana.

Rogers Township’s proposed ordinance would allow special-use permits to applicants seeking to grow recreational marijuana, process marijuana, or transport the drug securely.

The township would not issue special-use permits for five adult licenses, including a Class A growing permit, a permit for excess marijuana growing, a marijuana microbusiness, a marijuana event, or a designated marijuana consumption establishment.

Additionally, the proposed ordinance would require recreational marijuana businesses to have security cameras both inside and outside of the building, robbery and burglary alarms, and an air filtration system to control any odors. Marijuana could not be consumed on site.

The township, like other area governments that have or are considering allowing recreational marijuana businesses, has hired consultant Tom Reif, with Michigan Municipal Cannabis Consultants, to draft its ordinance.

It wasn’t immediatley clear how much Rogers Township is paying Reif. Harrisville paid him $5,000.

Supervisor Randy Smolinski suggested Reif also get in touch with Mike Libby, building and zoning official with Presque Isle County.

Reif said he would do so.

“Doing some work on the zoning ordinance, to whatever degree, is included in the fee that you’re paying me, and so I have no objection reaching out to the county and seeing if I can help or offer any input, or things along that line, if you wish me to do so,” Reif said.

Smolinski said the county’s Planning and Zoning Commission is working with an attorney from the Northeast Michigan Council of Governments.

He said that, when the trustees are ready to move forward with the ordinance, the township would wait for the county to approve its recreational marijuana ordinance before the township’s ordinance would go into effect.

Crystal Nelson can be reached at 989-358-5687 or cnelson@thealpenanews.com.