MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Several items were discussed at the July 21st Township Board meeting, including the Zoning Amendment to define and regulate the medical use of marijuana.

The Board initiated this zoning amendment to the Planning Commission back in November of 2013. The Planning Commission held a public hearing in February of 2014, but have not discussed it since due to waiting on legislative action.

Treasurer Julie Brixie expressed her concern during Tuesday's meeting reminding other board members how "several violent crimes have been associated with this use."

"Here we are, years later, and we've had several violent crimes right here in Meridian Township that have been associated with this use, and we are not regulating it. We can regulate it in a very reasonable fashion, just like we regulate every other home occupation, treating these folks the exact same way. And I think it would give a lot of piece of mind to people that are living in residential neighborhoods that really don't want to live next to a house that has 75 percent of its floor area devoted to growing medical marijuana, which under today's regulation, which is none, they could conceivably be doing," said Brixie.

Brixie believes the Board should move forward with this right away, "regardless of what legislature talks about doing."

It was discussed at the meeting that in order to get this item going again, the Planning Commission may want to hold a second public hearing (since it's been over a year), or they can discuss it and give the Board their recommendation and the Board will hold a public hearing before acting on it.