Planning commission schedules public hearing on removing large marijuana grows from Coldwater industrial zone

The Coldwater Planning Commission voted to schedule a public hearing to consider ordinance amendments that would remove "marijuana grower" and "marijuana excess grower" uses from the city's D2/Heavy Industrial zoning district and to consider whether to exclude marijuana microbusinesses from commercial zones.

Planning staff member Keith introduced the item, saying, "what we're bringing forward to you this evening is a request to consider some ordinance amendments that pertain to the regulation and licensing of marijuana facilities." City attorney Amanda O'Boyle told the commission that the facility already operating in the industrial district would be "a preexisting nonconforming use" and would not be precluded from continuing to operate so long as the license did not lapse.

The discussion turned to scale, odor and enforceability. Commissioners cited state license classes and rough plant counts in explaining the differences: one commissioner described class C as the largest scale ("about 10,000 plants") and another noted microbusinesses are limited ("I think it's around a 150"). Mayor Kramer argued the city benefits from large operations because "they employ, you know, employees that are gonna integrate into our community, shop at our businesses, pay taxes," while other members said odor and enforcement are significant concerns.

Staff and the city attorney said the current ordinance includes odor-mitigation provisions but that enforcement can be difficult in areas with many overlapping smells. Keith told the commission the amendments include administrative cleanups (definitions and an updated state regulatory agency name) and that the draft redline would be returned to the commission for further discussion.

A commissioner moved to follow the recommendation to redline the code and include the microbusiness change; staff clarified the intent was to remove grower and excess grower uses (not retail) from the industrial district. The commission voted by voice to schedule the public hearing and the chair stated, "Motion carries." The transcript records staff saying the item will be noticed; the record contains two date references for next steps (a regular meeting listed as October 17 and a notice action referenced for October 7).

The item will return for public hearing and further commission deliberation before any final ordinance change is forwarded to city council.