City of Brighton Extends Marijuana Moratorium

Brighton City Council decided last night to extend its marijuana moratorium by six months, as it was set to expire March 3. Its new expiration date is Sept. 3.

The moratorium, approved by the city council last August, prohibits medical marijuana-related businesses in town. 

The Michigan Medical Marijuana Act passed by a large margin of votes in November, 2008. The act allows qualified patients to legally use and possess up to 2.5 oz, as well as grow up to 12 plants or appoint a caregiver to do so for them.

Brighton is among many municipalities across Michigan trying to make sense of the law and develop ordinances to regulate dispensaries and other marijuana-related businesses.

“The law is evolving, there are a lot of holes in this statute that was passed," Brighton City Attorney Paul Burns said.

In Brighton's case, the city is able to extend its moratorium, as many other communities have, as long as it can be shown that an ordinance is being developed, according to attorney Brad Maynes, who is currently working on shaping the ordinance.

City council voted to extend the moratorium to avoid a gap in time where neither a moratorium nor an ordinance was in place.

With the moratorium's expiration date set for Sept. 3, 2011, city officials hope to have a guideline from other communities who have passed ordinances and have litigation pending before an ordinance is enacted.

“We're hoping to have some rulings to assist the city with some direction,” Burns said.

voted to extend its own medical marijuana moratorium in December.