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1. What Marijuana Businesses does the City allow?

The City of Portage allows all types of Medical Marijuana Facilities and Adult Use Marijuana Establishments, except Class A Microbusiness. The City DOES NOT allow Temporary Marihuana Events. 

2. Is there a limit on the number of Marijuana Business Permits the City will issue?

No, and yes. City ordinance does not establish a hard cap on the number of permits available for any of the facility/establishment types. However, Marijuana Businesses are limited to certain zoning districts, depending on the type of business.  In addition, the Zoning Code establishes two different types of required minimum separation distances.  First, Marijuana Businesses are required to be separated from specific uses (churches, schools, parks, etc.)  Second, there are required minimum separation distances between Marijuana Businesses. For example, Medical Provisioning Centers must be at least 1000 ft. apart from other Provisioning Centers and Adult Use Retailers, and Retailers must be 1,000 ft. apart from other Retailers and Provisioning Centers. Again, the required separation distances depend on the type of Marijuana Business(es) involved.

As a result of these zoning restrictions, the number of permits allowed will be limited because there are a limited number of eligible parcels where Marijuana Businesses can operate. The specific separation distance requirements and buffered uses are laid out in the Zoning Code. However, because the interaction between zoning restrictions and the location of existing Marihuana Businesses can be complex, it is recommended that prospective applicants contact the Community Development Department for assistance at(269-329-4477).

3. Is the City continuously accepting applications, or are there application windows?

The City accepts applications on a first-come-first-served basis. There are no application windows.

4. Why is marijuana sometimes spelled with an "h" and other times spelled with a "j"?

See here: https://www.michigan.gov/cra/faq/licensing-list/additional-new/why-is-marijuana-sometimes-spelled-with-an-h-and-other-times-spelled-with-a-j#:~:text=The%20spelling%20of%20marijuana%20has,the%20past%20federal%20spelling%2C%20marihuana.

5. Does a business need to have Prequalification Status from the CRA in order to apply for a Marijuana Business Permit from the City of Portage?

Yes. The City does require businesses to be prequalified by the CRA in order to apply for a City permit. 

6. What are the permit fees?

Marijuana Permit fees are set by a resolution adopted by the City Council.  The current fee is $5,000 per application, made payable to the "City of Portage."  Applications will not be processed until the application fee is paid in its entirety. 

7. I want to open a Marijuana Business in the City of Portage? How do I look for potential sites?

The Community Development Department can help you identify eligible areas of the City and eligible parcels for the particular business(es) you want open. There is an inquiry form and $150 staff research fee to answer questions about the eligibility of specific parcels for specific types of businesses. To contact Community Development about the process, please call (269) 329-4477.

8. Do I need to have a medical marijuana license before applying for adult use?

No.  The City of Portage does not require a medical marijuana permit in order to apply for adult use.  The Michigan Marihuana Regulatory Agency began accepting applications for all license types as of March 1, 2021 without prior medical marijuana licensure under the authorization of the Michigan Regulatory and Taxation of Marihuana Act (MRTMA). 

9. I already applied for a permit but was notified I was missing information. How long do I have to respond?

Applicants have five (5) calendar days from notifications of deficiencies to provide the incomplete or missing information to the City Clerk.  This process mirrors the 5 day period offered by the CRA.

10. How will I hear about my application from the Office of the City Clerk?

Communication is done primarily via email.  The application states “Email is the primary communication method the City Clerk’s Office will use.  All email communications regarding this application will come from the following email address: clerkforms@portagemi.gov.”

11. How soon do I need to renew my existing City of Portage Marijuana Business Permit?

The applicant should renew their license at most 30 days prior to the expiration of their license.