Neighbor says suspected pot grow house caused power brown-out in neighborhood

WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - Angela Wenck was excited when she found out someone bought the house next door on Brookshire in West Bloomfield last spring - but she says no one moved in.

Instead of furniture, Wenck began noticing trucks seen on their ring doorbell video, unloading equipment to grow marijuana like tubing, buckets, and lights.

"I don't think there is anything wrong with personally consuming it it is the concern of the safety and the concern is my house is next door and losing property value," she said. "A couple of months later (there was a) very strong odor coming from the house of marijuana. People coming and going all hours of the day. We also just became suspicious. All the basement windows were blocked off."

This grow house was using so much electricity last August that Wenck said it caused a brown-out in the neighborhood.

DTE Energy came out and said they blew the meter. She says they had to replace it with a commercial-grade meter. The DTE worker told Wenck this could have caused a huge fire - and her daughter's window is just 20 feet away.

"That's what really prompted the concern, that is what started the motion what are some of the laws how can we change them and stop these marijuana grow houses from being in subdivisions where children are living right next door."

Wenck claims she called West Bloomfield police and the township but all police will do is drive by slowly, never attempting to see if the homeowner is violating marijuana grow laws - which can be 12 plants or up to 72 for a licensed caregiver.

"We have not received any reports," said Steve Kaplan. "After talking to you we launched an investigation and on Monday we will be full force nat the home to determine if criminal activity is occurring."

Kaplan, the township supervisor, says back in 2018 the board voted not to allow commercial marijuana businesses in West Bloomfield, but he says it has been challenging to regulate what happens inside someone's home.

"This is an extremely difficult matter to combat," he said. "We are not the only community imagine living next door to one of these homes - odor, traffic worry it will blow up or catch on fire. Property owners if you want to sell your home - you have a duty to disclose to the buyer."

That's why Kaplan says the township is considering passing an ordinance that would require anyone looking to grow marijuana to register with West Bloomfield. 

"Let's say we have a registration requirement," Kaplan said. "We can inspect the home you aren't residing there you are not using power no businesses in homes township to combat this problem."

For Wenck and her family, it couldn't come soon enough.

"Unless the city starts stepping up make a change it is going to get worse," she said.