Mount Clemens commission extends cannabis permit, backs $9.34M bridge grant and approves five-year fiber permit

Mount Clemens — The City Commission approved three key actions on final votes Wednesday, granting a one-year extension for a conditional marijuana retail permit, supporting a multimillion-dollar bridge grant application and authorizing a five-year Metro Act permit for a fiber‑to‑the‑home provider.

City Manager Jeff Shipman told the commission that 222 Biz 4 LLC was granted a conditional marijuana retail establishment permit for 195 Mallow Street on March 6, 2024, but did not open before the permit expired on March 5, 2025 because of parking and engineering delays. "These issues have since been resolved and the company remains committed to opening later this year," Shipman said. The commission approved a one‑year extension for the permit. The mayor disclosed a personal conflict and abstained from the vote after saying her husband has a one‑year agreement to rent parking spaces to the property owner while on‑site parking is finalized.

The extension was presented as a temporary measure: an applicant representative said the operator’s engineering plans show on‑site parking, and the off‑site lease with a neighboring business is for one year while stormwater and other site work are completed.

On infrastructure, Shipman asked the commission to adopt a resolution supporting submission of a $9,337,000 grant application to the Michigan Department of Transportation’s local bridge program to replace the deteriorating Crocker Boulevard bridge. "The purpose of the grant is to obtain funding for the replacement of the deteriorating Crocker Boulevard Bridge," Shipman said. Commissioners noted the city has pursued the grant repeatedly since the mid‑2000s and described the bridge as aging from the 1960s. The resolution was approved by roll call.

Separately, the commission approved a five‑year unilateral right‑of‑way permit under the Metropolitan Extension Telecommunications Right‑of‑Way Oversight Act (Act 48 of 2002) for Open Fiber Michigan LLC. Shipman described the proposed project as a fiber‑to‑the‑home network that will provide symmetrical upload and download speeds to residential and commercial customers. Commissioners asked whether the company submitted maps showing exact construction locations and discussed coordinating any fiber work with city road projects; staff said the Metro Act permit functions as a citywide authorization but that Open Fiber still must obtain construction permits and staff will seek to coordinate timing and locations.

The commission also approved purchases and payments including a previously unbudgeted $923,000 item that staff said the city funded via a loan from the general fund to the parking fund; the parking fund is scheduled to repay $248,000 per year and staff is considering using Ice Arena bond funds to assist with repayment.

City Manager’s announcements included a Downtown Development Authority public survey, delivery of rain barrels for combined sewer area customers, a compost program beginning the week of March 23, 2025, and recreation offerings including Tuesday pickleball and a six‑week line‑dancing class. Commissioners highlighted the downtown revitalization project and said hardscape work is expected to be completed around November.

The meeting closed with commissioner updates, recognition of Dante Walker of Mount Clemens Community Schools for a Michigan Association of School Boards award, and an Irish blessing from the mayor before adjournment.