Cannabis sales could be coming to Arts, Beats and Eats
City commissioners to vote on proposal today at meeting
Royal Oak city commissioners will decide today whether to allow a tented area at this year’s Arts, Beats & Eats Festival where marijuana can be purchased and consumed.
Jon Witz, who produces the event, last year unsuccessfully tried to gain approval for a key festival sponsor and marijuana retailer, House of Dank, to operate in a secure area.
Commissioners in a close 4-3 vote rejected the request in May 2022 after it was opposed by the police chief and the city manager.
But in a memo to commissioners, Police Chief Michael Moore said the police department is now neutral on the issue of allowing pot sales for a trial period this year.
The chief’s memo includes a recommended resolution to approve Witz’s request to add a cannabis sales and consumption area at this year’s event only, from Sept. 1-4 over Labor Day weekend.
City Commissioner Sharlan Douglas, who favored allowing marijuana sales and use at last year’s event, said she backs the trial period.
“At Arts Beats and Eats last year my nose told me that people were smoking marijuana there,” Douglas said. “I want Arts Beats and Eats to succeed and the promoter does, too. If this experiment generates too many objections from attendees neither I nor they will want to jeopardize the event by offering it next year.”
Mayor Michael Fournier, who voted against such a move last year, said Friday he has not made up his mind.
“I’m eager to hear everyone’s opinions (today),” he said. “I am undecided at the moment. I will listen and consider with an open mind.”
Witz last year told city commissioners that having a marijuana sponsor for the event was necessary as earlier sponsors such as Ford Motor Co. and others reduced or ended their sponsorships in recent years.
City Commissioner Patricia Paruch voted against the proposed marijuana sales last year. She was out of town Friday and said she had yet to see the commission’s agenda. However, Paruch said she has a great deal of confidence in the police chief.
Witz is proposing to add the House of Dank cannabis sales and consumption area in the alley between South Center Street and Washington Avenue, between Sixth and Seventh streets. He is seeking a temporary marijuana event license from the state, Moore wrote in his memo.
The marijuana area would be inside a fenced area that blocks any view from the street level. It would have private security workers, an entrance and exit, and open only to those 21 and older.
Witz is aware of marijuana odor concerns.
“He has pledged to utilize fans and air purifiers to attempt to mitigate this problem,” Moore said in his memo. “Mr. Witz has also been in contact with the businesses, apartment complexes, and tenants adjacent to the area. He has indicated there is no opposition from any of these groups to proceed” with the cannabis trial period.
A Kids Zone that was part of the festival near the proposed pot tent location has been eliminated because of construction at Oakland Community College.
The state’s cannabis regulatory agency has issued three temporary marijuana event licenses, like the one Witz is seeking, for events that also included alcohol in Marquette, Manistee and South Branch Township that had crowds of between 2,000 and 4,000. No major problems were reported, Moore noted.
He also spoke with San Francisco police about a three-day event there that has alcohol and cannabis with crowds of 80,000 per day for the past four years. That event had a small area for cannabis sales and use like what Witz proposes for this year’s Arts, Beats and Eats, according to Moore’s memo.
San Francisco police reported no major incidents at the event with the introduction of marijuana sales and use.
In Michigan, the state does not allow alcohol sales in marijuana sales areas and vice versa.
The proposed cannabis sales and consumption area for Arts, Beats and Eats will “offer pre-rolled marijuana cigarettes, edibles, and cannabis vape cartridges for purchase and consumption,” Moore said in his memo. “Private security will oversee identification checks, purchases and behavior within this area.”