MUSKEGON, MI – Someone driving by Sozo, Levels or Timber in Muskegon may not know what sort of business goes on inside because their business signs are deliberately vague.
Those who know, know they’re in the marijuana business. Others are left guessing.
Strict rules on signs have prevented the 11 recreational marijuana dispensaries in Muskegon from outwardly advertising their wares.
Images of marijuana leaves, the words “marijuana” and “cannabis” and green cross symbols have been outlawed on exterior signs of the city’s marijuana-related businesses.
But that is changing.
The city commission on Tuesday, Nov. 22, agreed to relax the rules, meaning marijuana businesses have no more restrictions on their exterior signs than any other business. They simply must follow zoning rules for the areas in which they’re located.
“It just didn’t seem fair to those businesses that they had restricted signs compared to other businesses,” Muskegon Planning Director Mike Franzak told MLive.
Back when the first dispensaries opened three years ago, it was unclear how business would go, Franzak said.
“When the marijuana ordinances were first passed there was a little concern about what the industry would be like,” he said. “They’ve been really good tenants …and beautified the area.”
Related: Buying weed in Muskegon could get considerably easier with new rules
A “cannabis summit” city officials held with those in the marijuana industry this past summer included discussion of the city’s sign restrictions, Franzak said.
Marijuana businesses, including dispensaries, growers, microbusinesses and processors, had been held to these city ordinance rules:
“Signage shall be limited to one sign, no larger than 25 square feet and shall not use the word marihuana/marijuana, cannabis or any other word or phrase which would depict marihuana/marijuana; nor may pictures of a leaf or leaves, green cross or any other rendering which would depict marihuana/marijuana be displayed on a sign or any part of the building.”
The green cross is the traditional symbol for cannabis dispensaries.
Now, establishments will be able to add signs that more clearly reflect the nature of their business, Franzak said.
The city commission has also agreed to allow drive-up windows at dispensaries that meet certain criteria. At the same time, they made curbside sales legal, though such transactions had not been regulated during the COVID pandemic.
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