[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6251005,"mediaKeyId","3197150-5126cc343e9c37e6dd9ae2a98dcc7779","parentId",3197150,"title","Planners table Common Citizen marijuana site plan; litigation and plan changes cited, special meeting set May 22","audioSeconds",2133,"startMs",1998000,"endMs",4131000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3197150-5126cc343e9c37e6dd9ae2a98dcc7779&start=1998&end=4131","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3197150-5126cc343e9c37e6dd9ae2a98dcc7779/thumbnail_1998000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6251005/Eastpointe-City/Macomb-County/Michigan/Planners-table-Common-Citizen-marijuana-site-plan-litigation-and-plan-changes-cited-special-meeting-set-May-22","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6251005-b6bd2711f9bed07e0f80afe9c8edddbc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771226063&Signature=W~zAYp7b950MRUZ08szJ-xz7gHVT6kArL5swQh~-Q17oWS7N1EARUpi0EIgBfo4s3J88rWPBHloLg7X-nfZWhV0-xW-Q2ovtiGdhtY4ZViHszCmOjaWhiL3B5kv2cxNf4bHF7zwOmM9l-3d47gybWSKGHADgvo1c7sUzTq1CUVanuoZgTdn0LcdHhbFzSgnBnEv2k-jnoIiHBkly99CNF8gKv29mF6qZAVDuKCXqqh4CqTmMz64ZLc1mcQzgNFvRvN5o394lXDeVJmWCETRVv-8jGSGn7QIFpR-mljdNQ7ZqIlS5k4SI8~SzkHAl-bFNrf1MVjL~qToAWlDg8Eo9pg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","CityofEastpointe","date","2025-05-01T00:00:00Z","article","At the May 1 Eastpointe City Planning Commission meeting, the commission tabled consideration of the site plan and special land use for a marijuana provisioning center proposed by Common Citizen at 24525 Gratiot Avenue and scheduled a special meeting for 7 p.m. on May 22 to allow more review and to invite members of the original scoring/steering committee to participate.

Mike Beck, identified as director of government and community affairs for Common Citizen, said the company initially submitted a larger site plan that redeveloped the entire block but revised that plan after staff advised the change would require full site plan review. “We did have a site plan submitted… [then] we came in and talked to city staff and had a meeting and said, hey, if we can modify it and we can do this a little bit differently, what do you think about that?” Beck said. He said the revised plan rehabilitates an existing building and adds buffering, and that the applicant is not changing the community benefit package included with its medical application.

Public commenters raised procedural and substantive concerns. Jennifer Nicholas said the public hearing notice described a medical provisioning center while the application now seeks medical and adult use; she also said the notice listed five parcels though the application covers fewer. “This public hearing notice is for 5 parcels… The application is only for 24525,” Nicholas said, and asked whether the commission should correct the notice and, if necessary, re-notice.

City Attorney Albright told the commission a pending lawsuit in Macomb County Circuit Court challenges the city’s adult-use marijuana ordinance. He said a plaintiff filed for a temporary injunction and a hearing was scheduled for May 19; at least one party had sought to intervene and litigation could be protracted through appeals. “There is pending litigation involving the city's adult use marijuana ordinance,” Albright said. He added that city administration had paused new adult-use application steps while litigation is unresolved but noted that the applicant’s site plan review is for medical licensure and that existing medical permits are not subject to the same legal challenge.

Commissioners and staff discussed material differences between the original approved project (a full-block redevelopment) and the revised application, which proposes renovating the former Joe’s Music building, retaining the former auto sales building to the north and redeveloping the southern portion of the site into parking. The building official said the change is substantial and asked commissioners to consider how the revision compares to what the steering committee scored when it selected the initial license recipients.

Beck and Common Citizen representatives said they submitted the revised site plan to attempt to meet timelines and construction constraints and that their community benefits package remains in place; they said they have carried property costs and plan to close on most parcels but not the auto sales building. The applicant confirmed the revised site plan is for medical use only at this stage; under the city’s adult-use ordinance, medical facilities that open may later apply for adult-use licensure.

After discussion, the commission voted to schedule a special meeting for 7 p.m. on May 22 and to table consideration of the site plan and the special land use to that date so commissioners, staff and steering committee members can review the changes together. The commission also noted the legal uncertainty around adult use and that City administration has paused new adult-use processing pending the court outcome.

The commission asked staff to circulate corrected notices and documentation for the May 22 special meeting and requested members of the steering/scoring committee be invited to attend.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Eastpointe Planning Commission Meeting - May 1, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At the May 1 Eastpointe City Planning Commission meeting, commissioners tabled consideration of a revised site plan and special land use for Common Citizen’s proposed marijuana provisioning center at 24525 Gratiot Avenue and scheduled a special meeting for 7 p.m. on May 22 for further review.","taxTitle","Eastpointe City, Macomb County, Michigan","taxId",51167,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6251007,"Planning commissioners hear rezoning request for Winter Sausage; applicant withdraws petition",1722,241000,1963000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3197150-5126cc343e9c37e6dd9ae2a98dcc7779&start=241&end=1963","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3197150-5126cc343e9c37e6dd9ae2a98dcc7779/thumbnail_241000.jpg","/articles/6251007/Eastpointe-City/Macomb-County/Michigan/Planning-commissioners-hear-rezoning-request-for-Winter-Sausage-applicant-withdraws-petition","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6251007-c8bd30540582477395a111d057fadb21/orig.mp4?Expires=1771226063&Signature=b8i5OB~JQRuZzFXptmQXPXV8bOn9vBhDXAHIR2IGspKpBoe5HhXOpp-Ycq53T8sj5V~MG6i11NuuiFQVZoKCmgjS-9dLN6raFpYOoy3ZlzwUgvrWKs86EqARuylk2iVy9UoiHnLMheTSy4lk2hQDTgeMzB1YAnDLbEi7tfAE8huWimpscN1-OUKlc6N~ao3fTlIeF3g5iP3um2QTmLRTZlTkto6byQYI3SflAocV1slKI1TiYG-2n-aYOjtHZZXfL1gSUH73x5uVaT17QXykVFiWy3iKIs6HydlV2d~XB6AESl40-rTiDa0aPdytd6Fymu2VPXyh26gZp8ZiZEhWbw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a May 1 Eastpointe City Planning Commission meeting, Winter Sausage asked the commission to rezone four parcels along Gratiot Avenue and Crescentwood from mixed-use districts (MU-3 and MU-1) to light industrial, a change planning staff recommended denying because it conflicts with the city’s adopted future land use map.

Planning staff member Chris Urbiel explained that three of the parcels are zoned MU-3 and the Crescentwood-fronting parcel is MU-1, while the master plan’s future land use map designates the site as regional mixed-use and part of a central business change area. “The request is to rezone all of them to light industrial, which would allow all of them to be used in the future for a range of industrial uses,” Urbiel said. He told commissioners the principal concern is the rezoning’s incompatibility with the master plan and the parcels’ proximity to residential uses.

The issue drew several public speakers. Lee Stevens, the architect for Winter Sausage, said the company has been on the site since 1950, employs about 50 people and wants to expand to accommodate larger machinery. “By having that property allowing us to build over there allows us to use more machinery and and have a better facility and a better product,” Stevens said. Resident Theresa Churchill said she lives on Crescentwood and asked how rezoning would affect nearby homes and parking on her street. Resident Jennifer Nicholas noted past actions: she said the parcel’s zoning was changed to MU-3 in November 2023 and that the city previously established an industrial development district and an industrial facilities tax exemption to support Winter Sausage’s expansion. She asked whether Winter Sausage’s existing class A nonconforming designation covers the newly purchased parcel.

Commissioners pressed staff and the applicant on alternatives to rezoning the entire block. Commissioners noted the city is preparing a new master plan, and several expressed concern that rezoning to light industrial could create a precedent other property owners might cite. Staff said the application requested rezoning of all four parcels and that the commission’s recommendation must consider that full request; staff also suggested a narrower alternative—studying expansion of the northern parcel only or modifying the existing class A nonconforming status—would be appropriate for further review.

Lee Stevens told the commission the company had purchased the parcel to the north without being sure it would be permitted for an expansion and that Winter Sausage would prefer a solution that allowed a one-story manufacturing addition on the north side rather than the two-story expansion previously discussed. After the discussion, Stevens said the applicant would withdraw the rezoning request. The chair and staff said the formal withdrawal must be processed during the meeting’s new business section.

The commission’s staff said it would study alternatives, including whether the class A nonconforming designation can be extended to the adjacent parcel or whether a targeted rezone of only the northern parcel might meet the company’s needs without rezoning the larger block.

The matter was discussed again under new business, and the commission voted to accept the petitioner’s request to rescind the rezoning application during the meeting’s voting sequence. No rezoning was adopted at the May 1 meeting.

Commissioners asked staff to return with options that address Winter Sausage’s operational needs while aligning with the master plan and the city’s upcoming master plan update.","Winter Sausage asked to rezone four parcels on Gratiot Avenue to light industrial; planning staff recommended denial because the master plan designates the area for regional mixed-use. After public comment and commissioner questions, the applicant said it would withdraw the rezoning request for further study.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6250999,"Building department reports progress on Sheetz, car wash and marijuana projects; enforcement for tall grass and rodents to begin",448,4482000,4930000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3197150-5126cc343e9c37e6dd9ae2a98dcc7779&start=4482&end=4930","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3197150-5126cc343e9c37e6dd9ae2a98dcc7779/thumbnail_4482000.jpg","/articles/6250999/Eastpointe-City/Macomb-County/Michigan/Building-department-reports-progress-on-Sheetz-car-wash-and-marijuana-projects-enforcement-for-tall-grass-and-rodents-to-begin","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6250999-7cf4f66627290aa396234c3ed5e8171e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771226063&Signature=nbmV04wrMNA-x5P07KFAE5AromThNk4DLrFwF3Gr2sasSm~Ae3ZXfD20NbdrX4PK1r1KCgW-YTGPiKih9DMrfFPCI6nsRIzo2zM-wjo1jjEltyPWwL1BntWCO6zbTCsdFL-~Kf6uEJ-DkImHp~ETyWAs~kbtATjF5KSGyvqJeKDjzzZMQUi7HwLQEwpUMt5ip-as7tzLZcOzgI72dkWWWHoAWuv77AjKuvTkCotbnkbjZlvS5eUyjt-W9o7ZVZwYEdJXPhbDd7pHszfqEB~IH-Kyvst7TmaEAH-a3s6rzJAOW1IV17Nv2RoNyq3bBys2xu34vY5IFLa9Qnli~z~7pg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the May 1 Planning Commission meeting, the building official updated commissioners on several active development projects and code‑enforcement initiatives.

The official said the Sheetz redevelopment is well underway with demolition planning and approved building plans, and staff anticipates site plan work moving forward this spring and summer. A car wash project that had been stalled for more than a year has cleared legal and drawing issues and is expected to be ready for a building permit in the next 30 days. The official said one of the other marijuana projects has submitted demolition paperwork but needs additional documents, while the second marijuana project on 8 Mile is substantially underway, with interior renovations roughly 75–80% complete.

On enforcement, the building official said the department—still understaffed—will begin new grass‑maintenance enforcement next week. Under the revised approach, the building department will identify properties with grass exceeding allowed heights, notify owners with a 48‑hour compliance window, and, if parcels remain noncompliant, request a third‑party contractor to abate and bill property owners. The department will also start a rodent‑prevention program using prevention and education measures beginning Monday.

Commissioners asked for timelines and coordination with other departments. The building official said staff is also compiling inventories of vacant lots and commercial buildings to improve record‑keeping and redevelopment planning.

No formal action was taken; the report served as an operational update and the department will return as needed with project milestones and enforcement outcomes.","City building officials said Sheetz demolition and approvals are underway, a long-delayed car wash project is close to a permit, two marijuana projects are at different stages, and the building department will begin enforcing tall‑grass and rodent prevention policies starting Monday.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6251002,"Eastpointe launches 2025 master plan process with TPMA to lead engagement",102,4253000,4355000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3197150-5126cc343e9c37e6dd9ae2a98dcc7779&start=4253&end=4355","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3197150-5126cc343e9c37e6dd9ae2a98dcc7779/thumbnail_4253000.jpg","/articles/6251002/Eastpointe-City/Macomb-County/Michigan/Eastpointe-launches-2025-master-plan-process-with-TPMA-to-lead-engagement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6251002-9fac92f11fb95230848ed90394ac53d6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771226063&Signature=fAi2ndgWSW7jpS7l-P8OykgDSYNQUP9FGp5NKiyk0iiCgf5zeuNvj7xHhhBph1fInzAq-U81gOfDKBI3U9Ao0NpMB0HzOC92T4IIkvjEHLXn80led54xeUoxy1phfyWYAKH7d2-swU4S8qkPIKNiKw1qdYzUL31YiA4IAtNdhoQQZIklgz11jFPgNX2bfk6tc9Yihe0T0hR1QJa-UoCU0A3ZDJqaY77CvTe03lndKBEnaFsq0u1YLKj4Iq6IFJlyY~zEc5iaQsnqh5rXTZHo9qfIxlPnkcuT7BCz7BUJncqpix4Nxjy2EMoogbFTqA9qw4ENjAd66s87a4AUCrDhSA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the May 1 meeting, Planning Commission members were told the city formally launched the 2025 master plan update and that the consultant team TPMA (contracted firm) began work the same day.

Planning staff said the consultant will start by assembling stakeholders, creating subcommittees and developing survey and engagement strategies. The initial phase will focus on data collection and stakeholder outreach over the next three to four months, with bimonthly meetings between city administration and the consultant team. “The first launch is started today, on May 1, and we'll begin to meet, and organize the strategy,” staff said.

Staff described two primary consultant tracks: economic development/business strategy and residential development/outreach. Commissioners discussed stakeholder lists and outreach media and expressed support for a robust public engagement program.

The launch starts a multi-month process to update the city’s planning policies and the future land use map; staff said the first deliverables will include stakeholder rosters, public engagement plans and an outreach schedule to inform later draft plan work.

Staff asked commissioners to participate in stakeholder groups and noted that subcommittees and meetings will be scheduled in coming weeks.","The Planning Commission heard that work began May 1 on the city’s 2025 master plan update and that consultant TPMA will run stakeholder outreach and data collection over the next several months.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Planners table Common Citizen marijuana site plan; litigation and plan changes cited, special meeting set May 22

Planning commissioners hear rezoning request for Winter Sausage; applicant withdraws petition

Building department reports progress on Sheetz, car wash and marijuana projects; enforcement for tall grass and rodents to begin

Eastpointe launches 2025 master plan process with TPMA to lead engagement