A controversy has embroiled Royal Oak over the selection of the city’s first three recreational adult marijuana businesses and the location of a temporary cannabis dispensary for the Arts, Beats & Eats festival.
Two of the rejected applicants for permanent facilities are appealing an Oakland County Circuit Court judge’s dismissal of the lawsuit by six rejected applicants that challenged Royal Oak’s recreational marijuana ordinance.
Six of the 37 initial applicants sued to challenge the city’s licensing ordinance in 2022. Oakland County Circuit Judge Rae Lee Chabot dismissed these cases late last year, but at least two applicants, Quality Roots and Exclusive Capital Partners, filed appeals in May.
Critics argue that city officials are showing favoritism after the city commission extended deadlines for two of the three recreational outlets to open for business, while others oppose the location of a pop-up dispensary close to a school during the Arts, Beats & Eats festival.
Three recreational marijuana businesses — Gatsby Cannabis Company, Royal Treatment and Best Lyfe — were selected for municipal licenses in April 2022 with the stipulation that they had one year to meet all conditions of the license or apply for a six-month extension. None have opened yet and the city does not expect Gatsby Cannabis and Royal Treatment to meet the 18-month deadline that expires in October because of current commercial construction costs, Royal Oak City Manager Paul Brake said.
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