Battle Creek, MI Cannabis Regulations: Buffer Zones (2026)

Battle Creek sets separate buffer distances for each type of marihuana business in Chapter 1251 of its Planning and Zoning Code. Section 1251.28 covers medical and adult use grow operations: the property must be at least 500 feet from properties containing religious assembly uses; day care centers, preschools, and private or public K-12 schools; public parks; libraries; or any Residential ("R") zoned property. Distances run between nearest property lines.

Section 1251.29 is stricter for medical and adult use processing facilities. They must be at least 500 feet from any Residential ("R") zoned property and at least 1,000 feet from properties containing religious assembly uses, day care centers, preschools, K-12 schools, public parks or libraries. Section 1251.31 puts safety compliance facilities at 1,000 feet from that same list plus any residentially zoned property, and Section 1251.32 does the same for secure transporters.

Retail uses are measured differently. Sections 1251.25 and 1251.30 require adult use retailers and medical provisioning centers to be at least 1,000 feet from day care centers, preschools, private or public K-12 schools and libraries. Section 1251.26 requires a microbusiness to be at least 1,000 feet from K-12 schools and libraries open to the public and not to abut a Residential ("R") zoning district or a property with a residential use. Public parks and religious assembly uses do not appear on the retail lists. Sections 1251.25, 1251.26 and 1251.30 state that measurements run between nearest property lines, regardless of ownership of the property or the licensee.

Sections 1251.28 and 1251.29 were last amended by Ord. 12-2023, passed 10-17-23. Section 1251.27(e)(1) assigns the official Marihuana Maps to the City's Planning Division.