New Buffalo residents voice concerns over marijuana dispensary surge – WNDU
NEW BUFFALO TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WNDU) – Residents packed a town hall meeting Tuesday night to express concerns about a surge in marijuana dispensaries in their lakefront community.
By the end of 2026, New Buffalo Township will have nearly one marijuana dispensary for every 70 residents. The township currently has 29 dispensaries with six more planned.
According to the state of Michigan’s Marijuana License Counts report, no other township in Michigan has as many dispensaries as New Buffalo. The community now rivals major cities like Detroit and Ann Arbor as one of the state’s marijuana hotspots.
While the township will earn over $1.4 million in 2026 from marijuana excise tax revenue, residents said the dispensaries do more harm than good for the community.
“The density, visibility, and tone of the dispensaries in and around New Buffalo is creating a stain on the community image we have worked so hard to build,” said Denise Churchill, a New Buffalo resident. “Long known as a welcoming lakeside town, family friendly, small business focused, and appealing to visitors seeking charm, New Buffalo is now known as a weed destination. The weed capital of the Midwest or New Puffalo.”
Residents complained of rampant littering and decreased property values around the dispensaries but emphasized traffic risks associated with customers from Indiana, Illinois and Ohio.
“The countless marijuana shops in New Buffalo surrounding Exit 1 and along U.S. 12 are extremely dangerous for drivers, especially for teen drivers with less experience such as myself,” said Charlee Churchill, a New Buffalo resident. “Cars coming off the Exit 1 do not stop at the stop sign. Near both Exit 1 and along U.S. 12, cars do not use turn signals. They speed, abruptly slam on brakes, and swerve in and out of lanes constantly.”
The New Buffalo Township board tried to install stoplights and flashing stop signs along U.S.12, but had their requests denied by MDOT.
“MDOT is reactive. They are not proactive,” said Chuck Heit, a Berrien County sheriff. “The problem is . . . it’s a good thing we haven’t had a lot of crashes but if you don’t have five crashes within a 12-to-16-month period, they’re not going to do a lot.”
Heit said the township has passed a resolution requesting traffic studies to pressure MDOT for safety improvements.
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