By Dan Shriner
Review Editor
Orion Township residents are likely unaware, but the township has passed several new or amended ordinances entering 2015.
The passage of the ordinances has been during the past two months and are taking effect now. Some were merely cleaning up outdated provisions in existing ordinances as suggested by Orion Township attorneys and sheriff’s department.
One of the proposed ordinances was dropped on Monday by the township board.
That ordinance, for a single waste hauler, was hotly contested by residents who learned of the proposed ordinance over the past month. The township board opted to do more work on crafting a possible ordinance for a single waste hauler that would be more acceptable to residents. It is expected to include input from residents and officials over the next few months before any decision is made, if one is even considered.
Please see Page 1 of The Review for a story on the issue.
Many of the new ordinances or amendments involve minor crimes and allow prosecution under township jurisdiction. There were updates or new ordinances concerning false fire alarms, larcenies, malicious destruction of property, minors in possession of alcohol, disorderly persons, trespassing, and possession of marijuana.
The marijuana ordinance became necessary due to recent state changes in the law that allows for growth of the drug for use by patients.
The Michigan Medical Marijuana Act allows ‘caregivers? to grow a certain number of plants for each of their ‘patients.?
The Lake Orion ordinance allows for caregivers to grow the marijuana in the home of the patient or in a home in which they reside. It also may be grown by a patient in their home.
These homes must be single family structures and not apartments or other buildings. The ordinance prohibits more than 25 percent of any home to be used in the growth of marijuana.
The ordinance also prohibits any person or facility to operate a provisionary center to sell marijuana to a caregiver or a patient. Caregivers also would be prohibited from selling any marijuana to a provisionary dispensary that would seek to sell or distribute marijuana.
The ordinance prohibits growth of marijuana in a home that is not occupied by the caregiver or patient.
Officials said in the past that caregivers had sometimes rented or purchased houses and used them exclusively to grow marijuana. That is now prohibited under the new ordinance.
Violation of the ordinance would result in penalties up to 90 days in jail and a fine of $500 or both. The conviction would be a misdemeanor.
For more information about the new ordinances or amendments, visit the Orion Township website under ordinances at www.oriontownship.org/GeneralInformation/Information/OrdinanceIndex.aspx