Residents question late-night marijuana hours change and lack of public input

Several residents told the Eastpointe City Council on May 20 they opposed a recent council action that set adult-use marijuana dispensary hours to midnight four nights a week, saying the change lacked public input and could draw customers from neighboring cities.

Jennifer Nicholas, an Eastpointe resident, said she understood Councilman Curley’s earlier explanation for his vote but disagreed with the change. She noted that neighboring cities keep dispensaries open only until about 9 or 10 p.m. and that making Eastpointe’s hours later would “be like if we were able to keep our bars open till 4 or 5 in the morning later than other cities.” Nicholas said the altered hours were not requested by dispensary attorneys and were added at the second reading without public input.

Nicholas criticized the procedural path the council used to change hours after the public hearing: “The second reading of the ordinance, which is after the public hearing, after discussion, it was not on the agenda, You changed the hours to midnight 4 nights a week. Nobody asked for that.” She asked Councilwoman Pashadlick to explain why the change was made without prior resident input.

Nicholas said she was concerned about the city’s image and whether later hours would make Eastpointe less attractive to families despite other city improvements such as lead-line replacements.

The council did not take additional action on the topic at the May 20 meeting; the remarks were part of the public-comment period and reflect resident concerns about a previously approved ordinance change.