Frequently Asked Questions

During the licensing process/period the planning division will only verify that a particular property is eligible -- i.e. zoned General Business or General Industrial and 1,000 feet from any K-12 schools. The planning division will not discuss specific site issues, zoning requirements or the special land use/site plan process until you have been awarded a “license slot” by the city manager.

An application for a recreational marihuana establishment license must be submitted online.  An application cannot be submitted in person.

An applicant must pay a $500 document review fee at the time of application.  Once the City has determined that the application contains all the information required under Section 435-4 of the ordinance, the applicant must pay an additional $4,500 application fee.

Neither the $500 document review fee nor the $4,500 application fee are refundable.

The application for a recreational marihuana establishment license will be available on the City’s website by mid-November.

The first person to apply for a recreational marihuana establishment license will not be guaranteed a license.  The city manager will determine when the window for submitting an application will open and how long the window will be open.  All complete applications submitted while the window is open will receive equal consideration.

The parking requirements for a recreational marihuana establishment are set forth in the City’s Zoning Ordinance.

A successful applicant will not be issued a recreational marihuana establishment license until the city is provided with a certificate of insurance that meets the requirements of the ordinance.

The spacing requirements for recreational marihuana establishments are set forth in the City’s Zoning Ordinance.

No marihuana retailer or marihuana microbusiness will be permitted within a 1,000-foot radius of any existing retailer or microbusiness within the City of Royal Oak.

The measurement of the distance from a recreational marihuana establishment is made from the outermost boundaries of the lot or parcel upon which the establishment is or would be located.

Pursuant to the City’s Zoning Ordinance, the Zoning Board of Appeals is authorized to grant a variance from the requirements of the Zoning Ordinance upon a showing of practical difficulty by the applicant.

An application for a recreational marihuana establishment license must include documentation of a valid legal interest in the property where the proposed establishment will be located.

Pursuant to State law, the information contained in an application for a recreational marihuana establishment license is exempt from disclosure under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act.

Click here for Marihuana Zoning Ordinance.

Submission requirements and checklists can be found at https://www.romi.gov/1528/Recreational-Marihuana-Establishment-App.

An application for a recreational marihuana establishment license that has been determined to contain all of the required documentation will be reviewed by the Police Department, the Fire Department, the Community Development Department and any other applicable City department.