(1) A zoning ordinance shall create a zoning board of appeals. A zoning board of appeals in existence on June 30, 2006 may continue to act as the zoning board of appeals subject to this act. Subject to subsection (2), members of a zoning board of appeals shall be appointed by majority vote of the members of the legislative body serving.

    (2) The legislative body of a city or village may act as a zoning board of appeals and may establish rules to govern its procedure as a zoning board of appeals.

    (3) A zoning board of appeals shall be composed of not fewer than 5 members if the local unit of government has a population of 5,000 or more or not fewer than 3 members if the local unit of government has a population of less than 5,000. The number of members of the zoning board of appeals shall be specified in the zoning ordinance.

    (4) In a county or township, 1 of the regular members of the zoning board of appeals shall be a member of the zoning commission, or of the planning commission if the planning commission is functioning as the zoning commission. In a city or village, 1 of the regular members of the zoning board of appeals may be a member of the zoning commission, or of the planning commission if the planning commission is functioning as the zoning commission, unless the legislative body acts as the zoning board of appeals under subsection (2). A decision made by a city or village zoning board of appeals before February 29, 2008 is not invalidated by the failure of the zoning board of appeals to include a member of the city or village zoning commission or planning commission, as was required by this subsection before that date.

    (5) The remaining regular members of a zoning board of appeals, and any alternate members under subsection (7), shall be selected from the electors of the local unit of government residing within the zoning jurisdiction of that local unit of government or, in the case of a county, residing within the county but outside of any city or village. The members selected shall be representative of the population distribution and of the various interests present in the local unit of government.

    (6) Subject to subsection (2), 1 regular or alternate member of a zoning board of appeals may be a member of the legislative body. Such a member shall not serve as chairperson of the zoning board of appeals. An employee or contractor of the legislative body may not serve as a member of the zoning board of appeals.

    (7) The legislative body may appoint to the zoning board of appeals not more than 2 alternate members for the same term as regular members. An alternate member may be called as specified in the zoning ordinance to serve as a member of the zoning board of appeals in the absence of a regular member if the regular member will be unable to attend 1 or more meetings. An alternate member may also be called to serve as a member for the purpose of reaching a decision on a case in which the member has abstained for reasons of conflict of interest. The alternate member appointed shall serve in the case until a final decision is made. An alternate member serving on the zoning board of appeals has the same voting rights as a regular member.

    (8) A member of the zoning board of appeals may be paid a reasonable per diem and reimbursed for expenses actually incurred in the discharge of his or her duties.

    (9) A member of the zoning board of appeals may be removed by the legislative body for misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance in office upon written charges and after a public hearing. A member shall disqualify himself or herself from a vote in which the member has a conflict of interest. Failure of a member to disqualify himself or herself from a vote in which the member has a conflict of interest constitutes malfeasance in office.

    (10) The terms of office for an appointed member of the zoning board of appeals shall be 3 years, except for a member serving because of his or her membership on the zoning commission or legislative body, whose term shall be limited to the time he or she is a member of that body. When members are first appointed, appointments may be for less than 3 years to provide for staggered terms. A successor shall be appointed not more than 1 month after the term of the preceding member has expired.

    (11) A vacancy on the zoning board of appeals shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment.

    (12) A zoning board of appeals shall not conduct business unless a majority of the regular members of the zoning board of appeals are present.

    (13) A member of the zoning board of appeals who is also a member of the zoning commission, the planning commission, or the legislative body shall not participate in a public hearing on or vote on the same matter that the member voted on as a member of the zoning commission, the planning commission, or the legislative body. However, the member may consider and vote on other unrelated matters involving the same property.

    (1) Meetings of the zoning board of appeals shall be held at the call of the chairperson and at other times as the zoning board of appeals in its rules of procedure may specify. The chairperson or, in his or her absence, the acting chairperson may administer oaths and compel the attendance of witnesses.

    (2) The zoning board of appeals shall maintain a record of its proceedings which shall be filed in the office of the clerk of the legislative body.

    (1) The zoning board of appeals shall hear and decide questions that arise in the administration of the zoning ordinance, including the interpretation of the zoning maps, and may adopt rules to govern its procedures sitting as a zoning board of appeals. The zoning board of appeals shall also hear and decide on matters referred to the zoning board of appeals or upon which the zoning board of appeals is required to pass under a zoning ordinance adopted under this act. It shall hear and decide appeals from and review any administrative order, requirement, decision, or determination made by an administrative official or body charged with enforcement of a zoning ordinance adopted under this act. For special land use and planned unit development decisions, an appeal may be taken to the zoning board of appeals only if provided for in the zoning ordinance.

    (2) The concurring vote of a majority of the members of the zoning board of appeals is necessary to reverse an order, requirement, decision, or determination of the administrative official or body, to decide in favor of the applicant on a matter upon which the zoning board of appeals is required to pass under the zoning ordinance, or to grant a variance in the zoning ordinance.

    (1) An appeal to the zoning board of appeals may be taken by a person aggrieved or by an officer, department, board, or bureau of this state or the local unit of government. In addition, a variance in the zoning ordinance may be applied for and granted under section 4 of the uniform condemnation procedures act, 1980 PA 87, MCL 213.54, and as provided under this act. The zoning board of appeals shall state the grounds of any determination made by the board.

    (2) An appeal under this section shall be taken within such time as prescribed by the zoning board of appeals by general rule, by filing with the body or officer from whom the appeal is taken and with the zoning board of appeals a notice of appeal specifying the grounds for the appeal. The body or officer from whom the appeal is taken shall immediately transmit to the zoning board of appeals all of the papers constituting the record upon which the action appealed from was taken.

    (3) An appeal to the zoning board of appeals stays all proceedings in furtherance of the action appealed. However, if the body or officer from whom the appeal is taken certifies to the zoning board of appeals after the notice of appeal is filed that, by reason of facts stated in the certificate, a stay would in the opinion of the body or officer cause imminent peril to life or property, proceedings may be stayed only by a restraining order issued by the zoning board of appeals or a circuit court.

    (4) Following receipt of a written request for a variance, the zoning board of appeals shall fix a reasonable time for the hearing of the request and give notice as provided in section 103.

    (5) If the zoning board of appeals receives a written request seeking an interpretation of the zoning ordinance or an appeal of an administrative decision, the zoning board of appeals shall conduct a public hearing on the request. Notice shall be given as required under section 103. However, if the request does not involve a specific parcel of property, notice need only be published as provided in section 103(1) and given to the person making the request as provided in section 103(3).

    (6) At a hearing under subsection (5), a party may appear personally or by agent or attorney. The zoning board of appeals may reverse or affirm, wholly or partly, or modify the order, requirement, decision, or determination and may issue or direct the issuance of a permit.

    (7) If there are practical difficulties for nonuse variances as provided in subsection (8) or unnecessary hardship for use variances as provided in subsection (9) in the way of carrying out the strict letter of the zoning ordinance, the zoning board of appeals may grant a variance in accordance with this section, so that the spirit of the zoning ordinance is observed, public safety secured, and substantial justice done. The ordinance shall establish procedures for the review and standards for approval of all types of variances. The zoning board of appeals may impose conditions as otherwise allowed under this act.

    (8) The zoning board of appeals of all local units of government shall have the authority to grant nonuse variances relating to the construction, structural changes, or alteration of buildings or structures related to dimensional requirements of the zoning ordinance or to any other nonuse-related standard in the ordinance.

    (9) The authority to grant variances from uses of land is limited to the following:

    (a) Cities and villages.

    (b) Townships and counties that as of February 15, 2006 had an ordinance that uses the phrase "use variance" or "variances from uses of land" to expressly authorize the granting of use variances by the zoning board of appeals.

    (c) Townships and counties that granted a use variance before February 15, 2006.

    (10) The authority granted under subsection (9) is subject to the zoning ordinance of the local unit of government otherwise being in compliance with subsection (7) and having an ordinance provision that requires a vote of 2/3 of the members of the zoning board of appeals to approve a use variance.

    (11) The authority to grant use variances under subsection (9) is permissive, and this section does not require a local unit of government to adopt ordinance provisions to allow for the granting of use variances.

    The decision of the zoning board of appeals shall be final. A party aggrieved by the decision may appeal to the circuit court for the county in which the property is located as provided under section 606.

    (1) Any party aggrieved by a decision of the zoning board of appeals may appeal to the circuit court for the county in which the property is located. The circuit court shall review the record and decision to ensure that the decision meets all of the following requirements:

    (a) Complies with the constitution and laws of the state.

    (b) Is based upon proper procedure.

    (c) Is supported by competent, material, and substantial evidence on the record.

    (d) Represents the reasonable exercise of discretion granted by law to the zoning board of appeals.

    (2) If the court finds the record inadequate to make the review required by this section or finds that additional material evidence exists that with good reason was not presented, the court shall order further proceedings on conditions that the court considers proper. The zoning board of appeals may modify its findings and decision as a result of the new proceedings or may affirm the original decision. The supplementary record and decision shall be filed with the court. The court may affirm, reverse, or modify the decision.

    (3) An appeal from a decision of a zoning board of appeals shall be filed within whichever of the following deadlines comes first:

    (a) Thirty days after the zoning board of appeals issues its decision in writing signed by the chairperson, if there is a chairperson, or signed by the members of the zoning board of appeals, if there is no chairperson.

    (b) Twenty-one days after the zoning board of appeals approves the minutes of its decision.

    (4) The court may affirm, reverse, or modify the decision of the zoning board of appeals. The court may make other orders as justice requires.

    (1) Any party aggrieved by any order, determination, or decision of any officer, agency, board, commission, zoning board of appeals, or legislative body of any local unit of government made under section 208 may obtain a review in the circuit court for the county in which the property is located. The review shall be in accordance with section 606.

    (2) Any person required to be given notice under section 604(4) of the appeal of any order, determination, or decision made under section 208 shall be a proper party to any action for review under this section.