BLIGHT VIOLATIONS H.B. 4868 (H-2):
FLOOR SUMMARY
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House Bill 4868 (Substitute H-2 as reported by the Committee of the Whole)
Sponsor: Representative Coleman Young
House Committee: Intergovernmental, Urban, and Regional Affairs
Senate Committee: Local, Urban and State Affairs
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Home Rule City Act to add right-of-way signage and dangerous building ordinance violations to the list of ordinance violations that a city may designate as blight violations.
Under Section 4q of the Act, a city that has a population of at least 7,500 and is located in any county, or a city that has a population of at least 3,300 and is located in a county with a population of at least 2.0 million, may establish an administrative hearings bureau to adjudicate and impose sanctions for violations of the charter or ordinances designated in the charter or ordinance as blight violations.
The city may designate only a violation of specific types of ordinances, including zoning and building or property maintenance, as a blight violation. Under the bill, a city also could designate a violation of the following types of ordinances as a blight violation:
-- Right-of-way signage.
-- An ordinance that was substantially the same as Sections 138 to 142 of the Housing Law of Michigan (which prohibit an owner or agent of an owner from keeping or maintaining any dwelling or part of a dwelling that is a "dangerous building").
A right-of-way signage violation would be the placement of signage in a right-of-way without a proper permit from the city.
In addition, the bill would authorize a city to waive a fine for a blight violation at an owner-occupied dwelling for a first-time offender of a blight ordinance, if the offender had corrected the circumstances for the violation.
The bill states that Section 4q would not authorize a proceeding against a foreclosing governmental unit as defined under the General Property Tax Act or a land bank fast track authority created under the Land Bank Fast Track Act.
MCL 117.4q & 117.4r Legislative Analyst: Craig Laurie
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State revenue or expenditure. Local unit revenue could increase to the degree that additional fines were imposed and/or changes resulting from the bill improved property values. Local unit expenses could rise to the extent that additional costs were incurred to address the larger array of potential blight violations.
Date Completed: 3-12-08 Fiscal Analyst: David Zin
Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. hb4868/0708