ATTITUDE WELLNESS, BASED in Evart, Mich., plans to rehabilitate these buildings at 117 and 119 S. Stephenson Ave. in Iron Mountain for a marijuana dispensary. (Theresa Proudfit/Daily News photo)

IRON MOUNTAIN — A public hearing has been set for Nov. 4 on an ordinance change to allow additional licenses for growing and processing medical marijuana, potentially allowing five individual growers in the city to have up to 4,500 plants each, or a city-wide maximum of 22,500 plants.

The Iron Mountain City Council three weeks ago issued provisional licenses to two downstate businesses for growing, processing and selling medical marijuana, expecting the same applicants likely will qualify for recreational facility licenses in the months ahead.

On Monday, the council approved a draft of an amended medical marijuana ordinance to allow up to three additional facilities but for growing and processing only. Under the change, growers may stack up to three Class C state growing licenses — allowing up to 1,500 plants per license — without further city approval. The number of plants at a site can range from fewer than 500 to as many as 4,500, depending on the licenses.

If an exterior facility expansion is needed to accommodate increased growing, a licensee would have to obtain local permits.

The council had little discussion on the ordinance Monday. At a special meeting Oct. 14, the council had decided to strike a balance between allowing additional business while keeping a strict cap on the number of dispensaries. The city of Marquette, by contrast, has adopted a recreational marijuana ordinance taking effect March 1 that has no cap on the number of adult-use dispensaries, provided zoning requirements are met.

Craig Canterbury of Norway, an advocate for medical marijuana patients, said it appears Iron Mountain is “hitting the middle of the road” in its approach to regulations.

It’s not yet known whether Iron Mountain businesses will follow through on growing operations if they can’t operate dispensaries. Medical growers and processors may sell their products to a licensed provisioning center but not directly to patients.

The city’s license expansion would open the door for growing and processing facilities planned by local investors on the 100 block of East Smith Street and on the 1500 and 1800 blocks of North Stephenson Avenue. The scope of those facilities, however, is far below the commitment from the downstate entities.

Macomb-based RIZE plans a $5 million investment and 60 to 90 jobs at a multi-use facility at 1580 N. Stephenson Ave., about a quarter-mile south of Industrial Drive and North Lake Antoine Road. Attitude Wellness, eyeing an investment of $2.18 million with 20 promised jobs, intends to build a growing and processing facility on the west side of Hydraulic Falls Road between Stephenson Avenue and Breitung Cutoff Road. Its provisioning center would be at 117 and 119 S. Stephenson Ave., where structures would be rehabilitated.

Michigan’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency will begin accepting applications Nov. 1 for recreational adult-use facility licenses. Under the current rules, only medical marijuana license holders can receive a recreational license, but they don’t have to be local.

Earlier this month, the Iron Mountain council approved an ordinance to allow and regulate recreational marijuana facilities. Once that ordinance takes effect in early November, there will be a 45-day window for applications that will be judged under a scoring rubric still to be written. Recreational licenses will be limited to two apiece for growing, processing and provisioning, but that ordinance also could be amended.

The Marijuana Regulatory Agency oversees the state’s marijuana facilities and licensees, including growers, processors, transporters, provisioning centers and safety compliance facilities. Michigan communities can, however, choose to opt out and deny such facilities.

The state will allow an adult-use retailer and medical provisioning center licensee to operate at the same location, but products must be kept separate.

The hearing on the medical marijuana amendments will be at 6 p.m. Nov. 4, during the next regular city council meeting.