Marijuana Dispensary Could Open Across From Royal Oak School

ROYAL OAK, MI — A new marijuana dispensary could open directly across the street from a Royal Oak technical school, according to city plans.

The proposed site for the dispensary, Gatsby Cannabis Company, is 5130 Meijer Drive, which is north of West 14 Mile Road and east of the Coolidge Highway, according to the plans. The site would place it directly across the street from the Oakland Schools Technical Campus Southeast in Royal Oak, which serves about 700 high school students.

The city recently approved an ordinance for recreational marijuana sales in the city, but stated any marijuana business could not operate within 1,000 feet of any existing school or any other retailer or micro-business.

However, while the plans do acknowledge the law, the memorandum said officials determined "that the 1,000-foot buffer would not apply to the technical center." Although officials did not discuss why the buffer could be waived, they did cite the school in an industrial area, where schools are not allowed.

The next Royal Oak Planning Commission is Feb. 8, where it could determine whether or not to approve the plans. If they approve it, the issue will then go before the City Commission for a final decision.