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On February 27, voters will have an opportunity to cast ballots on a referendum on Adult-Use Marihuana in Pontiac. This referendum is not a determination of whether the purchase of Adult-Use Marihuana at retail locations will be allowed. The ordinance allowing that, Ordinance 2406, was approved by City Council in April 2023.

 

City Council approved amendments to Ordinance 2406 last fall, and those amendments were passed as Ordinance 2424. It is those amendments (Ordinance 2424) that are the subject of the referendum.

 

 

Ordinance 2424 covers a number of issues governing how Adult-Use Marihuana retail business applications will be considered for licensing, including:

· Application language

· Determination of direct and indirect ownership

· Social Equity ownership

· Criminal background checks

· Neighborhood education communication

· Community improvement

· Redevelopment of blighted buildings

· Other considerations

 

The following are both links and QR Codes to Ordinance 2406 and Ordinance 2424 so that you may read through them entirely and be informed about the decision you are being asked to make:

 Ordinance 2406:

Ordinance 2424:

https://tinyurl.com/Ordinance2424 

Last fall, after additional review, consideration and deliberation, City Council approved Ordinance 2424, amending Ordinance 2406, on October 10, 2023.

 

The Pontiac City Charter allows for a referendum to be placed on the ballot in order to allow voters to approve or reject an ordinance adopted by City Council. A private ballot question committee, not affiliated in any way with the city, collected enough signatures to place a referendum on Ordinance 2424 on the ballot. That is why voters are being asked to consider Proposal 1.

 

On February 27, 2024, residents will vote YES or NO on Proposal 1 regarding Ordinance 2424.

 

A YES vote on the proposal means Ordinance No. 2424 as adopted by City Council in October 2023 becomes effective.

 

A NO vote rejects the amendments (Ordinance 2424) adopted by City Council in October 2023, and the adult-use marihuana ordinance that was originally adopted by City Council in April 2023 (Ordinance 2406) becomes effective.

 

Early voting begins on February 17th and will run through February 25th. There are two designated sites during the early voting period:

 

60 E. Pike St.

Pontiac, MI 48342

 

2800 Watkins Lake Rd.

Waterford, MI 48328

 

Early Voting begins on February 17th and will run through February 25th. The following are the early voting hours at these locations:

 

  

 

174 Branch Street

Precincts: 1, 2 & 3

 

52 Bagley St.

Precincts: 4, 5 & 6

 

125 W. Montcalm

Precinct: 7

 

460 W. Kennett Rd.

Precinct: 8

 

1700 Baldwin Rd.

Precincts: 9 & 10

 

1051 Arlene

Precincts: 11 & 12

 

1275 N. Perry

Precincts: 13 & 14

 

541 Bay St.

Precinct: 15

 

469 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. S

Precincts: 16, 17 & 18 

 

Visit Michigan.gov/vote

Or call (248) 758-3200

 

 

Bowens Center, 52 Bagley

 

City Hall, 47450 Woodward

 

Ruth Peterson Center, 990 Joslyn

 

Walt Whitman Elementary, 125 W. Montcalm

 

 

Your Absentee Ballot must be returned to the Clerk's Office

or an official ballot drop box no later than Election Day,

February 27, 2024 by 8 p.m. to count.

 

(248) 758-3200

Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

47450 Woodward Ave., Pontiac MI 48342

Website: www.pontiac.mi.us/elections

 

Sat., February 24, 2024 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Sun., February 25, 2024 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.