A building formerly used for police training in Flint has just been sold to a commercial marijuana grower. Here's why some locals, including city council members, are concerned.
Flint City Council delays drag racing ordinance, sale of former police training facility
Updated May 11, 2021;
Posted May 11, 2021
A former Flint police training facility (left) and a Flint drag race are shown in these Flint Journal file photos.
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FLINT, MI The City Council will wait before moving ahead with a new ordinance designed to curb drag racing and before selling a former police training facility to a company that wants to use the property to grow and process marijuana.
Council members sent both proposals back to committees at their Monday, May 10 meeting, with a majority saying they still had questions about both plans.
Try refreshing your browser, or These ex-cops are now testing Michiganâs legal cannabis Back to video
Virdis Laboratories was founded by former Michigan State Police members in 2016. In total, about 40 employees are spread across two Virdis labs, operating in Lansing and Bay City.
The executive team includes Greg Michaud, former director of forensic science, Dr. Michele Glinn, a former toxicology unit supervisor and program coordinator, and Todd Welch, a former forensic scientist.
Welch was the impetus for starting the company and told
Lansing City Pulse that his team has tested almost 70 per cent of all recreational and medical cannabis sold in Michigan over the last five years.
Per
MLive.com, Wilcox said the purchase agreement has been finalized, but requires city council approval. “This is a fair and valid offer,” Wilcox said.
Still, the council has suspended any sale of the property as the proposal is reviewed.
“It’s kind of ironic that the training facility for the police department, that used to go against marijuana, is going to possibly become a marijuana grow shop,” said Flint council member Santino Guerra.
If the proposal is successful, Evergrow will need to get approval for a site plan from the Flint Planning Commission, as well as approval from the city. Additionally, the company will need to obtain the proper licences and permits required to run a cannabis facility.
Flint’s old police academy could be sold for marijuana grow operation
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The exterior of the former training building used by the Flint Police Department Tuesday, April 27, 2021 located at 3420 St. John Street in Flint. The city is considering selling the building to an individual for an offered $500,000. (Cody Scanlan | MLive.com)
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FLINT, MI City officials want to sell the shuttered Flint Police Training Academy for $500,000 to a company that wants to convert it into a commercial marijuana grow facility.
The Flint City Council postponed any action on the property sale during its Monday meeting after representatives from the city’s Department of Planning and Development asked to proceed with the sale to Evergrow LLC.