Residents sound off on medical marijuana producer

BESSEMER — Local residents expressed their opinion at the Bessemer City Council meeting Tuesday concerning a recent announcement of a medical marijuana producing business to be located at the Big Dollar grocery store.

On Tuesday, Sept 1. City Manager Michael Uskiewicz told the Daily Globe two business partners purchased the grocery store and plan to convert the space into, a “state of the art” facility for producing medical marijuana.

In a release, Uskiewcz said their product will be sold out of Gogebic County to down-state facilities that process the plant into medicine for treatment of patients with seizures, epilepsy, cancer and other ailments.

At the meeting, City Attorney Michael Korpela said Uskiewicz carefully reviewed city code and determined the site of the business within the neighborhood commercial district, C-1, is a core mixed-use district.

According to documents he provided, a mixed-use district is established to accommodate a broad variety of retail, office and residential uses, providing goods and services for adjacent neighborhoods, as well as visitors.

Furthermore, Korpela said property owners within a mixed-use district are exercising their rights under a certain condition which allows for small medical service establishments, including medical suppliers.

In disagreement, another Bessemer resident held up Bessemer zoning documents and said C-1 is zoned retail and the business will “inhibit more retail.”

“C-1 is zoned as retail. We need to revitalize the businesses. Now they want to open a business that’s going to inhibit more retail.”

John Frello, of Bessemer predicted that business will not come as “merely speculation.”

“Their intent is to make the place look like there’s nothing there,” he said.

At the meeting, local resident Sherri Nyquist said she understands the benefit of medical marijuana, but is concerned about the location of the site.

“It is within two blocks, give or take, of both of our schools,” she said. “That’s where our kids are.”

Other attendees said they were also concerned about the location of the business.

In attendance, John Turkal, Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman, said people can come to the zoning board of appeals to hold a separate meeting to present their case. If the board says “no,” Turkal said he or she can take the matter to court.