The Three Rivers City Commission Tuesday approved two special exception use permits for marijuana dispensaries that will be established along US 131 in Three Rivers.

Both SEU requests were approved 5-1, with Commissioners Clayton Lyczynski, Carolyn McNary, Chris Abel and Daryl Griffith as well as Mayor Tom Lowry voting in favor, and Commissioner Pat Dane voting against. Commissioner Allison Haigh was not in attendance Tuesday.

Representatives from Confluence 3R, LLC and Harbor Farmz Provisioning, LLC attended the meeting, and addressed the commission about their plans to operate marijuana retail facilities at their respective locations. Confluence 3R has leased property on the west side of US-131 near the intersection of West Michigan Avenue at 104 S. US -131 (the former Kauszler/Goodwill building), while Harbor Farmz has leased property on the east side of US-131 at 503 S. US-131 (breaking ground next to Starbucks).

In a letter to commissioners, General Manager Mara Kore of Confluence 3R, said the company’s initial investment into the location will be approximately $1.5 million, and they anticipate hiring 16-20 full-time staff. Harbor Farmz CEO Michael Ward said he wants to be a part of and invest in the Three Rivers community like his company has in Kalamazoo, where they previously built a “state-of-the-art facility” and currently employee 40 staff members.

Alek Haak-Frost is executive editor of Watershed Voice.