City Grants Conditional Special Land Use for Marijuana Provisioning Center at Car Wash Site

Saline City Council voted unanimously Monday night to grant conditional approval of an application for a special land use to allow a medical marijuana provisioning center at 660 E. Michigan Ave.

That property is currently home to Zax Auto Wash.

No residents spoke during a public hearing on the issue.

Steven Jabaro of Leoni Wellness, LLC, applied for a special land use in the SPA-1 district for a medical marijuana provisioning center. Leoni Wellness plans to remodel the 2,720 square-foot structure to create a retail space and to add 29 parking spaces on the property.

The city's planning commission previously voted to recommend the special land use and to grant preliminary site-plan approval - with several conditions. Mayor Brian Marl was the only no vote at the July 20 planning commission.

Answering a question Monday night from Councillor Janet Dillon about his vote, Marl explained he had some concerns about aesthetics, building materials and plans to retrofit the 40-year-old car wash. Marl said, however, that he was confident his concerns would be alleviated during the final site plan approval process and said he planned to continue to emphasize that the building be as attractive as possible.

Council's special land use is contingent on the planning commission granting final site plan approval.

According to a letter from the applicant, the site will be under surveillance 24 hours a day.

Leoni Wellness is based in West Bloomfield.

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