Highland Park City Counsel votes to place moratorium on marijuana applications
HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - On Thursday, the city of Highland Park began accepting marijuana business license applications, but then the city council voted to place a moratorium on the applications.
The change happened during Thursday's tense special city council meeting. The councilmembers also voted to hire outside counsel to represent them, saying the city's legal team has not adequately represented them as they work to amend the city's 2020 ordinance that authorizes the establishment of marijuana facilities.
"Here we are about to take applications for marijuana licenses and we are in as you say this quagmire of a problem with an ordinance that is going to get us sued back into the stone ages," said District 3 Council member Khursheed Ash-Shafii.
The city's legal department objected to hiring outside representation, but the vote passed unanimously by the three council members in attendance.
The council also voted to place a moratorium on applications for marijuana licenses. One resident in attendance said he already paid the $5,000 application fee, and there was no clear answer on whether he or others who paid could get that money back.
The city council plans to share its amended marijuana ordinance in a special meeting on April 27.