Does Supreme Court Decision on Medical Marijuana Affect Farmington Hills Moratorium?

The 4-1 opinion outlawing medical marijuana dispensaries affects one potential land use currently on hold, city attorney Steve Joppich says.

Will a recent Michigan Supreme Court decision banning medical marijuana dispensaries keep the City of Farmington Hills from "kicking the can - or cannabis - down the road" (in council member Richard Lerner's words) again?  According to a report published in Friday's The Oakland Press, justices in a 4-1 decision ruled that "owners of so-called dispensaries 'are not entitled to operate a business that facilitates patient-to-patient sales of marijuana'."  City attorney Steve Joppich said the high court ruling only affects one potential land use affected by a moratorium that officials extended in December, through June 13, 2013. A proposed medical marijuana ordinance was first introduced in 2010. Joppich said officials are keeping an eye on …

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Farmington Hills Woman With Ties to Tucker Cipriano Headed for Trial in April

Christine Frederick was arrested in April of 2011 on marijuana-related charges.

Farmington-Farmington Hills Patch is following up on some of the crimes we've covered since our launch in November, 2010. If you wondered about the outcome of a particular case, write to editor Joni Hubred-Golden, joni.hubred-golden@patch.com.  Farmington Hills resident Christine Frederick, who was arrested on charges of manufacturing marijuana and second or subsequent violation for possession of a controlled substance, is scheduled to go to trial this spring. According to Oakland County's Court Explorer website, Frederick's trial will begin on April 22.   Frederick, 47, gained media attention after telling reporters that Tucker Cipriano, arrested April 16, 2012 following an attack on his family, lived with her in the fall of 2011, after …

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Farmington Hills Officials Approve Fourth Deferral on Medical Marijuana Decision

Mayor Pro Tem Richard Lerner believes it's time to stop postponing action on local ordinances pertaining to medical marijuana land uses.

Farmington Hills city council members on Monday approved a fourth extension of a moratorium on decisions about medical marijuana land uses, but one official believes it may soon be time to stop "kicking the can - or cannabis - down the road." Mayor Pro Tem Richard Lerner said he would support the deferral through June 13, 2013, but pointed out the ordinance was first introduced in 2010. He suggested bringing the topic back to a study session. "I think one resolution and four deferrals ought to be pretty close to our limit," he said.  Officials have, over the past two years, held a number of study sessions discussing the local issues raised by Michigan's voter-approved Medical Marihuana Act. The current deferral period expires Dec. 14, city…

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Farmington Hills Woman Arrested Friday Has Medical Marijuana Card, Attorney Says

Christine Frederick, who said she has ties to Tucker Cipriano, appeared today in 47th District Court.

An attorney for a Farmington Hills woman arrested Friday on charges of manufacturing and possession of marijuana says his client has a medical marijuana card and caregiver certification.  Steven Schwartz appeared in 47th District Court this afternoon with his client Christine Frederick, 47. Frederick gave an emotional interview to reporters following the April 18 arraignment of Tucker Cipriano and Mitchell Young, both charged in the murder of Bob Cipriano and assault on Rose and Salvatore Cipriano in their Farmington Hills home.  Judge Marla Parker adjourned today's pretrial exam conference to May 18, 8:30 a.m., based on an agreement between the defendant and Oakland County prosecutor's office.  Frederick, 47, was taken into custody on …

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Farmington Hills Police Chief Weighs in on Medical Marijuana Law Impact

Chief Chuck Nebus tells The Oakland Press the new state laws costs his officers time.

Farmington Hills Officials Extend Medical Marijuana Moratorium

Officials say too much about the state's medical marijuana law is up in the air.

Farmington Hills officials Monday extended to March 2012 a nearly 10-month-old moratorium on land uses that involve medical marijuana. Council members have struggled for months to come up with an ordinance that would regulate potential growers of the plant, without restricting use by registered medical marijuana users. They started with a zoning ordinance that would prohibit land uses violating federal, state or local laws. That would have effectively banned medical marijuana-related businesses in the community. But concerns over violating the rights of caregivers, along with the shifting landscape around the issue statewide, led officials to table the proposed ordinance for further study. After extensive discussions and revisions, …

Medical Marijuana Ordinance Draft Heads to Hills Commission

The proposed ordinance places restrictions on medical marijuana growers.

Farmington Hills city officials looked Monday night at the latest draft for a set of rules governing the cultivation and distribution of medical marijuana.  If passed, the rules would give prospective providers a handful of guidelines to follow that largely echo state rules and fall under city zoning, rather than criminal, jurisdiction. Hills council members passed the proposed ordinance to the city's planning commission for further review. After they've given it more consideration, it will go before the council again for final approval. The proposed ordinance generally follows the Medical Marihuana Act passed by voters in 2008, which allows licensed caregivers to  grow and provide the drug to patients with state-issued cards that verify …

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