Monroe Twp. Trustees put temporary pause on new marijuana dispensaries

MONROE TWP., Michigan (WTVG) - Recreational marijuana is booming just north of Toledo in Michigan where it’s legal. Now, elected officials in Monroe Township, south of the City of Monroe, are considering whether to halt any more weed shops from coming in.

Right now there are 11 marijuana dispensaries with two more on the way. They’re all accessible from LaPlaisance Rd., Exit 11 off I-75. The shops added up to $570,000 in tax revenue for the township so far. Michigan voters legalized recreational marijuana in 2018.

However, with all that money comes a new influx of traffic and associated concerns from some members of the community.

“You know, at first, when we passed this, we had no idea of the demand that there was going to be for this product, and number two, I think lately the traffic on LaPlaisance Road especially has become very heavy,” said Monroe Township Supervisor Alan Barron.

Tuesday, March 28, 2023, Monroe Township Trustees passed a moratorium on any new applications for dispensaries. The two already under construction will be allowed to move forward. Trustees say they want to study the traffic and the impact to the surrounding community, including a Ford plant going up nearby.

“The issues we have right now with trafficking and accidents and things are here now. So, hopefully the moratorium will give them a chance to have a time out and change that,” said David Swartout, a Monroe County Commissioner.

The studies are set to be complete by the end of June with the moratorium set to be lifted by July. That’s when trustees may decide whether any more marijuana dispensaries would be allowed to set up in the township.

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Please include the title when you click here to report it.

Copyright 2023 WTVG. All rights reserved.