Muskegon, for example, initially created a medical marijuana overlay district to steer development within an underutilized industrial section of the city.
“We took areas that were heavily disinvested in and very blighted along major corridors that are easy to find,” Franzak said.
The city of Kalamazoo has experienced similar success since adopting its medical marijuana ordinance in 2018, said Assistant City Planner Pete Eldridge.
Muskegon’s overlay district approach was an alternative to capping the number of cannabis businesses that could operate there.
MEDC markets Michigan as the place to do business, assists businesses in their growth strategies and fosters the growth of vibrant communities across the state.