Niles City Council approves provisional certificates for new marijuana business

Published 12:35 pm Tuesday, December 14, 2021

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NILES — A new marijuana business will soon be opening its doors in Niles.

The Niles City Council voted 7-1 to approve Provisional Certificates for Class C grow and processing to Origins MI, LLC to conduct marijuana business activities at 901 Wayne St.

Based out of Royal Oak, Michigan, Origins submitted a complete application for Class C Marijuana Grower — up to 2,000 plants — and marijuana Processor licenses to the state, which has provided Origins prequalification status. Origins requested provisional certificates from the city to conduct growing and processing of marijuana at the Simplicity complex located at 901 Wayne St.

The Simplicity Complex is in the Industrial District and in a zone designated for unlimited marijuana licenses, meaning a competitive process for a provisional certificate or licensing is not required.

State guidelines dictate that Class C growers are licensed to cultivate, dry, trim or cure and package marijuana for sale to a processor or provisioning center.

“The city of Niles is saying that when [Origins MI] becomes fully licensed, we will then license them,” said City Administrator Ric Huff.

According to Huff, the owner of the Simplicity building has been marketing it in hopes of bringing in marijuana businesses to use the space. Each marijuana business rents space from the building owner, and builds its own building within the complex.

“We’ve had several [marijuana businesses] move in,” Huff said.

The decision is the latest in the ongoing debate over marijuana in the community. Currently, the city is in the process of evaluating the possibility of allowing the marijuana industry into downtown Niles.

“There is a community concern by some people,” Huff said. “But we have not experienced any type of issues with it so far. We haven’t had any criminal issues or smell issues or things like that.”