Recreational Marijuana
Marquette and the MRTMA
The Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act (MRTMA) was passed by Michigan voters in November 2018. The act legalized marijuana in the State of Michigan and mandated a licensing structure for the production and distribution of the substance.
Governor Whitmer authorized the creation of the Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA) in March 2019 to produce framework for implementing the MRTMA. In July, the MRA released emergency rules to establish the licensure process and provide clarification about aspects of the MRTMA. Additionally, the rules established four new licenses types: excess marihuana grower, designated consumption establishments, marihuana event organizer and temporary marihuana event.
The City of Marquette is now accepting applications for special land use permits and business licenses for adult use marijuana establishments.
Application Process for Establishment Licenses
1) Receive pre-qualification from the State of Michigan
This process is completely separate from the City, but additional information can be found on the state’s
website at www.michigan.gov/mra.
2) Apply for a City of Marquette Special Land Use Permit
This process begins in the City’s Planning and Zoning office, where the SLU Permit application is submitted. This application will not be accepted unless it is paired with proof of the applicant’s State pre-qualification. Every application for a SLU Permit is reviewed by relevant City departments and is routed through a Public Hearing in front of the City Planning Commission.
3) Apply for a City of Marquette Business License
This process begins in the City Clerk’s office, where the City Business License application is submitted. The business license application will not be accepted unless it is paired with proof of the applicant’s State prequalification, a copy of the SLU Permit granted by the City Planning Commission, and the required fee, as established by the Marquette City Commission. Every business license application is reviewed by relevant City Departments.
At the successful conclusion of this process, the applicant will be granted a Provisional License by the City Clerk. This provisional license serves as a local assurance to the State that the applicant is permitted to operate the proposed facility in the City. This provisional license is not a final license to operate, and conditions may still need to be met prior to a local license being granted.
4) Submit final application to the State of Michigan
The provisional license granted in the previous step will give the applicant the local materials necessary to submit final application to the State. This process is completely separate from the City, but additional information can be found online at www.michigan.gov/mra.
5) Schedule any necessary final local inspections
Once the applicant is granted a State license, there still may be conditions to be met locally, as mentioned in step 3 above. Often, this will be a requirement for a final local fire inspection, or something similar.
6) Receive Municipal License to operate an Adult-Use Marihuana Establishment
Once an applicant has been granted a State license and has met all local conditions, they return to the City Clerk’s office. At that point, the Clerk will issue a municipal license to operate. This license is valid for 1 year and will run concurrently with the State license.
Application Process for Temporary Event Licenses
Prior to completing and submitting one of the Temporary Event applications linked below, you should first have a valid State of Michigan Event Organizer License.
If you are planning an event that involves the use of public property, you should contact the City's Community Services Department as soon as possible to discuss prospective dates and to reserve the space/venue.
Local Regulations
City Code and Land Development Code rules concerning recreational marijuana.
Ord. #682 - Regulation of Adult-Use Marihuana Establishments
Land Development Code Amendments
Guidelines for Marijuana Events
Zoning Maps with Approved Buffers
These maps are a visual representation of the Land Development Code (LDC) amendments available in the previous section of this page. The maps display the suggested zoning districts for each adult-use marijuana license type that will be allowed in the City of Marquette beginning March 1.
These draft maps are included here for informational purposes. Any interested party could contact the City of Marquette Community Development Department to ensure the viability of their property before pursuing a license.
All maps include buffers approved by the City Commission.
Click each image for full resolution PDFs or click here for a compiled version of the maps.
Public Process
The timelines below detail the work done by the City Commission and Planning Commission to develop local ordinances and rules regarding recreational marijuana. This process is ongoing and not all of the regulations are final. Please consult City staff if you have any questions.
City Commission
The City Commission has been undertaking a public process as the rules and regulations of recreational marijuana establishments have been evolving. Dates and material from these meetings are provided below. Upcoming meeting dates are also listed below, however they are subject to change as needed.
Planning Commission
The Planning Commission has also been undertaking a public process to develop zoning guidelines for recreational marijuana establishments. Dates and material from these meetings are provided below, as well as upcoming meeting dates.
