An Arcada Township tavern is slated to close early next year and become Gratiot County’s first recreational marijuana facility.
The township board has unanimously approved a special use permit and zoning and ordinance changes that will allow the new owners of Crossroads Bar & Grill to convert the building into a growing, processing and retail dispensary that will sell cannabis for recreational purposes.
The new business, Fire Island LLC, is owned by Alma attorney Zack Everitt, his wife Becky, brother Josh Everitt and his wife Kara.
“We’re going to move forward after a lot of discussion and a lot of time involved,” Township Supervisor Doug Merchant said.
Although some other municipalities in the county, including the city of Alma, have approved medical marijuana operations, all have thus far opted out from the state law that permits the sale of recreational cannabis.
“When this first came up the township (board) said no to everything marijuana,” Merchant said. “There were a lot of questions. Now we know what’s going to happen. (The law) is here to stay. It’s not going anywhere.
Township officials were initially leery of some large growing and retail marijuana businesses from out of the area and even out of state moving into rural communities and opening up shop, he explained.
“We’re trying to do everything on the up-and-up,” Merchant said. “As long as it’s controlled and regulated we will be fine.”
Both medical and recreational marijuana facilities have to comply with a number of security measures to become and remain licensed by the state.
Because it was a “local family that’s well known in the area ” to be the first to seek approval to open a recreational cannabis shop made the decision easier for the board, Merchant noted.
That also could be a reason there was no opposition to the facility voiced by township residents.
Letters were sent to nearby property owners and notices of public hearings published in local newspapers.
But the board didn’t hear any negative comments.
“We had none,” Merchant said. “And no one attended (the public hearings)”
Once up and fully running the township expects to receive about $26,000 annually from the state in sales tax revenue.
The business will also be charged an annual $5,000 fee to operate in the township.
That will be a big boost to the budget, Merchant noted.
Unlike some other Gratiot County municipalities where wind farms have provided additional revenue, they are not allowed to be constructed in Arcada Township because it’s the site of the county’s only airport and the height of the turbines could affect flight patterns.
“We can’t capitalize on that revenue,” Merchant said.
The owners of Fire Island had hoped to have their facility up and running for the holidays but the process has taken longer than expected, he added.
It’s now likely it will be spring or early summer before it’s open.
Although they plan to eventually obtain licenses to grow and process recreational cannabis it will initially be operated simply as a retail shop, Merchant said.
It will sell not only leafy marijuana but also edibles and concentrates.
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Gratiot getting first recreational marijuana facility - The Morning Sun
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