HOUSE BILL No. 6272

 

June 19, 2008, Introduced by Rep. Johnson and referred to the Committee on Commerce.

 

     A bill to amend 2005 PA 210, entitled

 

"Commercial rehabilitation act,"

 

by amending section 2 (MCL 207.842), 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, or vacant

 

property that will be used as commercial property if that vacant

 

property has been vacant for not less than 15 years and is located

 

in a qualified local governmental unit as that term is defined in

 

section 2 of the obsolete property rehabilitation act, 2000 PA 146,

 

MCL 125.2782. 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, MCL 432.201 to 432.226.

 

     (i) "Qualified local governmental unit" means, except as

 

otherwise provided in this act, a city, village, or township.

 

     (j) "Rehabilitation" means changes 1 of the following:

 

     (i) 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.

 

     (ii) New construction of a qualified facility that is located

 

in a qualified local governmental unit as that term is defined in

 

section 2 of the obsolete property rehabilitation act, 2000 PA 146,

 

MCL 125.2782.

 

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

 

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