HOUSE BILL No. 5123

 

August 22, 2007, Introduced by Reps. Bieda and Rocca and referred to the Committee on New Economy and Quality of Life.

 

     A bill to amend 2005 PA 210, entitled

 

"Commercial rehabilitation act,"

 

by amending sections 2 and 3 (MCL 207.842 and 207.843), section 2

 

as amended by 2006 PA 554.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 2. As used in this act:

 

     (a) "Commercial property" means land improvements classified

 

by law for general ad valorem tax purposes as real property

 

including real property assessable as personal property pursuant to

 

sections 8(d) and 14(6) of the general property tax act, 1893 PA

 

206, MCL 211.8 and 211.14, the primary purpose and use of which is

 

the operation of a commercial business enterprise or multifamily

 

residential use. Commercial property shall also include facilities

 

related to a commercial business enterprise under the same


 

ownership at that location, including, but not limited to, office,

 

engineering, research and development, warehousing, parts

 

distribution, retail sales, and other commercial activities.

 

Commercial property also includes a building or group of contiguous

 

buildings previously used for industrial purposes that will be

 

converted to the operation of a commercial business enterprise.

 

Commercial property does not include any of the following:

 

     (i) Land.

 

     (ii) Property of a public utility.

 

     (b) "Commercial rehabilitation district" or "district" means

 

an area not less than 3 acres in size of a qualified local

 

governmental unit established as provided in section 3. However, if

 

the commercial rehabilitation district is located in a downtown or

 

business area as determined by the legislative body of the

 

qualified local governmental unit, the district may be less than 3

 

acres in size.

 

     (c) "Commercial rehabilitation exemption certificate" or

 

"certificate" means the certificate issued under section 6.

 

     (d) "Commercial rehabilitation tax" means the specific tax

 

levied under this act.

 

     (e) "Commission" means the state tax commission created by

 

1927 PA 360, MCL 209.101 to 209.107.

 

     (f) "Department" means the department of treasury.

 

     (g) "Multifamily residential use" means multifamily housing

 

consisting of 5 or more units.

 

     (h) "Qualified facility" means a building or group of

 

contiguous buildings of commercial property that is 15 years old or


 

older or has been allocated for a new markets tax credit under

 

section 45d of the internal revenue code, 26 USC 45d. A qualified

 

facility does not include property that is to be used as a

 

professional sports stadium. A qualified facility does not include

 

property that is to be used as a casino. As used in this

 

subdivision, "casino" means a casino or a parking lot, hotel,

 

motel, or retail store owned or operated by a casino, an affiliate,

 

or an affiliated company, regulated by this state pursuant to the

 

Michigan gaming control and revenue act, the Initiated Law of 1996

 

1996 IL 1, MCL 432.201 to 432.226.

 

     (i) "Qualified local governmental unit" means a city, village,

 

or township.

 

     (j) "Rehabilitation" means changes to a qualified facility

 

that are required to restore or modify the property, together with

 

all appurtenances, to an economically efficient condition.

 

Rehabilitation includes major renovation and modification

 

including, but not necessarily limited to, the improvement of floor

 

loads, correction of deficient or excessive height, new or improved

 

fixed building equipment, including heating, ventilation, and

 

lighting, reducing multistory facilities to 1 or 2 stories,

 

improved structural support including foundations, improved roof

 

structure and cover, floor replacement, improved wall placement,

 

improved exterior and interior appearance of buildings, and other

 

physical changes required to restore or change the obsolete

 

property to an economically efficient condition. Rehabilitation

 

shall not include improvements aggregating less than 10% of the

 

true cash value of the property at commencement of the


 

rehabilitation of the qualified facility.

 

     (k) "Taxable value" means the value determined under section

 

27a of the general property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.27a.

 

     Sec. 3. (1) A qualified local governmental unit, by resolution

 

of its legislative body, may establish 1 or more qualified

 

rehabilitation districts that may consist of 1 or more parcels or

 

tracts of land or a portion of a parcel or tract of land, if at the

 

time the resolution is adopted, the parcel or tract of land or

 

portion of a parcel or tract of land within the district is a

 

qualified facility.

 

     (2) The legislative body of a qualified local governmental

 

unit may establish a commercial rehabilitation district on its own

 

initiative or upon a written request filed by the owner or owners

 

of property comprising at least 50% of all taxable value of the

 

property located within a proposed commercial rehabilitation

 

district. The written request must be filed with the clerk of the

 

qualified local governmental unit.

 

     (3) Before adopting a resolution establishing a commercial

 

rehabilitation district, the legislative body shall give written

 

notice by certified mail to the county in which the proposed

 

district is to be located and the owners of all real property

 

within the proposed commercial rehabilitation district and shall

 

afford an opportunity for a hearing on the establishment of the

 

commercial rehabilitation district at which any of those owners and

 

any other resident or taxpayer of the qualified local governmental

 

unit may appear and be heard. The legislative body shall give

 

public notice of the hearing not less than 10 days or more than 30


 

days before the date of the hearing.

 

     (4) The legislative body of the qualified local governmental

 

unit, in its resolution establishing a commercial rehabilitation

 

district, shall set forth a finding and determination that the

 

district meets the requirements set forth in subsection (1) and

 

shall provide a copy of the resolution by certified mail to the

 

county in which the district is located.

 

     (5) Within 28 days after receiving a copy of the resolution

 

establishing a commercial rehabilitation district that was

 

established before October 1, 2007, the county may reject the

 

establishment of the district by 1 of the following methods:

 

     (a) If the county has an elected county executive, by written

 

notification to the qualified local governmental unit.

 

     (b) If the county does not have an elected county executive,

 

by a resolution of the county board of commissioners provided to

 

the qualified local governmental unit.