DETROIT – The city of Detroit launched an interactive online map for residents to track the current status of medical marijuana caregiver centers.
Voters approved the regulated permitting and licensing of marijuana in 2012.
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The color-coded map shows a dot for every current and proposed dispensary in the city. The map differentiates between centers that have been approved, in the application process, open for business or closed.
“We continue to receive a lot of community feedback about the number of dispensaries across the city and we are enforcing the ordinance, which we think is fair and equitable,” said David Bell, director of the Building Safety, Engineering and Environmental Department. “This new website map will allow people to stay up to date on any one of the locations.”
The city council passed an ordinance in 2015 regulating how many dispensaries could open and where, and those regulations took effect one year ago. Since the city began enforcing the new ordinance, 281 applications have received, 161 shops have been shut down, 120 are in the application process and 3 have received full city approval.
When the process is complete, the city expects about 50 centers will be allowed to operate citywide.
The federal Drug Free School Zone Act prevents marijuana from being delivered, sold or manufactured within 1,000 feet of a school and state law factors libraries into the rule. The city's zoning regulations cover educational institutions and prohibits shops from operating near child care centers, arcades and outdoor recreation facilities.