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 — Recreational marijuana may be sold in Iron Mountain by the end of April, city council members learned Monday.

Casey Honeyager of Republic, general manager for a business that plans to operate a growing, processing and dispensary complex at 1580 N. Stephenson Ave., said work has begun to open the facility.

Honeyager works for RIZE, based in downstate Macomb, one of two businesses awarded provisional licenses from the city for sales of both medical and adult use marijuana. He attended Monday’s council meeting after receiving results last month of the city’s scoring of applications for recreational facilities.

RIZE’s goal is to begin dispensing medical marijuana by the end of March and recreational products by the end of April, Honeyager told the council.

Because cultivation of its own product may take six to eight months, marijuana for RIZE’s initial sales may be supplied by local caregivers or other permitted sources “until the market gets caught up,” he said.

In securing its provisional licenses, RIZE has promised a $5 million investment and 60 to 90 jobs. The company, owned by Nick Issak of Macomb and Julie Wentworth of Bay Harbor, will occupy a former soft drink plant a quarter-mile south of Industrial Drive and North Lake Antoine Road.

Although just two marijuana retailers will be allowed in Iron Mountain, the city is prepared to issue licenses for as many as five growing and processing centers.

RIZE earned the top score of 77 in the recreational license scoring, followed by Attitude Wellness at 71, The Source of IM at 62 and Green Spectrum Labs at 59.

Attitude Wellness, owned by Robert Barnes of Evart — its provisional licenses also in hand — plans to sell marijuana at a building to be refurbished at 117 and 119 S. Stephenson Ave., just south of East Fleshiem Street. The company will have its growing and processing operation on the west side of Hydraulic Falls Road between Stephenson Avenue and Breitung Cutoff Road, promising a total investment of $2.18 million and 20 jobs.

In grading applications for both medical and recreational facilities, the city sought to emphasize economic and neighborhood impacts as well as the ability to operate.

The Source of IM would be next in line for a recreational sales license, should either of the downstate businesses falter. The Source is owned by Jo Poulin of Iron Mountain and Brad Butler and Robert White of Niagara, Wis.

Butler on Monday asked the council to issue rules on whether applicants are making sufficient progress in meeting their promises for capital investment and job creation. He thanked council members for their efforts, adding, “It’s been a journey.”

The Source, holding provisional licenses for growing and processing, plans a facility near North Stephenson Avenue at the site of the former Mountain Motors. Green Spectrum Labs, primarily owned by Dan Kreider of Breitung Township, has provisional licenses that could allow it to occupy a building on the 100 block of East Smith Street for growing and processing.

Before starting operations, applicants will need state licenses and certification from Michigan’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency.

As of Dec. 31, the state had 377 medical marijuana business licenses, including 180 for provisioning centers, according to the agency. As of Jan. 21, there were 65 recreational licenses, including 37 retailers.

Recreational marijuana sales began in Michigan on Dec. 1 after voters approved the move in November 2018. A current list of adult use sales licenses in Michigan, compiled by click ondetroit.com, includes just one in the Upper Peninsula — The Fire Station in Negaunee.

In May, the Iron Mountain City Council adopted an ordinance authorizing medical marijuana facilities. The council agreed to allow — through its merit-based application system — only two licenses each for sales, processing and growing.

After a trio of local applicants fell short of the commitments from RIZE and Attitude Wellness, the council agreed in November to expand the growing and processing licenses to five but kept the dispensary limit at two. Its recreational marijuana ordinance, adopted in October, was amended earlier this year to mirror the medical licensing limits.