HOUSE BILL No. 6025

 

December 2, 2014, Introduced by Rep. VerHeulen and referred to the Committee on Local Government.

 

     A bill to amend 2008 PA 33, entitled

 

"Michigan planning enabling act,"

 

by amending sections 13, 43, and 71 (MCL 125.3813, 125.3843, and

 

125.3871).

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 13. (1) Subject to subsection (2), a township ordinance

 

creating a planning commission under this act shall take takes

 

effect 63 days after the following:

 

     (a) If the ordinance is adopted before January 1, 2015, the

 

ordinance is published by the township board in a newspaper having

 

general circulation in the township.

 

     (b) If the ordinance is adopted after December 31, 2014, the

 

township gives tier B public notice of the ordinance under the

 


local government public notice act.

 

     (2) Subject to subsection (3), before Before a township

 

ordinance creating a planning commission takes effect, a petition

 

may be filed with the township clerk requesting the submission of

 

the ordinance to the electors residing in the unincorporated

 

portion of the township for their approval or rejection. The

 

petition shall be signed by a number of qualified and registered

 

electors residing in the unincorporated portion of the township

 

equal to not less than 8% of the total vote cast for all candidates

 

for governor, at the last preceding general election at which a

 

governor was elected. If such a petition is filed, the ordinance

 

shall does not take effect until approved by a majority of the

 

electors residing in the unincorporated portion of the township

 

voting thereon at the next regular or special election that allows

 

reasonable time for proper notices and printing of ballots or at

 

any special election called for that purpose, as determined by the

 

township board. The township board shall specify the language of

 

the ballot question.

 

     (3) Subsection (2) does not apply if the planning commission

 

created by the ordinance is the successor to an existing zoning

 

commission or zoning board as provided for under section 301 of the

 

Michigan zoning enabling act, 2006 PA 110, MCL 125.3301.

 

     (3) (4) If a township board does not on its own initiative

 

adopt an ordinance under this act creating a planning commission, a

 

petition may be filed with the township clerk requesting the

 

township board to adopt such an ordinance. The petition shall be

 

signed by a number of qualified and registered electors as provided

 


in subsection (2). If such a petition is filed, the township board,

 

at its first meeting following the filing, shall submit the

 

question to the electors of the township in the same manner as

 

provided under subsection (2).

 

     (4) (5) A petition under this section, including the

 

circulation and signing of the petition, is subject to section 488

 

of the Michigan election law, 1954 PA 116, MCL 168.488. A person

 

who violates a provision of the Michigan election law, 1954 PA 116,

 

MCL 168.1 to 168.992, applicable to a petition described in this

 

section is subject to the penalties prescribed for that violation

 

in the Michigan election law, 1954 PA 116, MCL 168.1 to 168.992.

 

     Sec. 43. (1) Before approving a proposed master plan, a

 

planning commission shall hold not less than 1 public hearing on

 

the proposed master plan. The hearing shall be held after the

 

expiration of the deadline for comment under section 41(3). The If

 

the hearing is held before January 1, 2015, the planning commission

 

shall give notice of the time and place of the public hearing not

 

less than 15 days before the hearing by publication in a newspaper

 

of general circulation within the local unit of government. If the

 

hearing is held after December 31, 2014, the planning commission

 

shall give tier B public notice of the time and place of the public

 

hearing under the local government public notice act. If website

 

posting is required, the posting period shall include the 14 days

 

immediately before the hearing. The planning commission shall also

 

submit notice of the public hearing in the manner provided in

 

section 39(3) to each entity described in section 39(2). This

 

notice may accompany the proposed master plan submitted under

 


section 41.

 

     (2) The approval of the proposed master plan shall be by

 

resolution of the planning commission carried by the affirmative

 

votes of not less than 2/3 of the members of a city or village

 

planning commission or not less than a majority of the members of a

 

township or county planning commission. The resolution shall refer

 

expressly to the maps and descriptive and other matter intended by

 

the planning commission to form the master plan. A statement

 

recording the planning commission's approval of the master plan,

 

signed by the chairperson or secretary of the planning commission,

 

shall be included on the inside of the front or back cover of the

 

master plan and, if the future land use map is a separate document

 

from the text of the master plan, on the future land use map.

 

Following approval of the proposed master plan by the planning

 

commission, the secretary of the planning commission shall submit a

 

copy of the master plan to the legislative body.

 

     (3) Approval of the proposed master plan by the planning

 

commission under subsection (2) is the final step for adoption of

 

the master plan, unless the legislative body by resolution has

 

asserted the right to approve or reject the master plan. In that

 

case, after approval of the proposed master plan by the planning

 

commission, the legislative body shall approve or reject the

 

proposed master plan. A statement recording the legislative body's

 

approval of the master plan, signed by the clerk of the legislative

 

body, shall be included on the inside of the front or back cover of

 

the master plan and, if the future land use map is a separate

 

document from the text of the master plan, on the future land use

 


map.

 

     (4) If the legislative body rejects the proposed master plan,

 

the legislative body shall submit to the planning commission a

 

statement of its objections to the proposed master plan. The

 

planning commission shall consider the legislative body's

 

objections and revise the proposed master plan so as to address

 

those objections. The procedures provided in subsections (1) to (3)

 

and this subsection shall be repeated until the legislative body

 

approves the proposed master plan.

 

     (5) Upon final adoption of the master plan, the secretary of

 

the planning commission shall submit, in the manner provided in

 

section 39(3), copies of the adopted master plan to the same

 

entities to which copies of the proposed master plan were required

 

to be submitted under section 41(2).

 

     Sec. 71. (1) A planning commission may recommend to the

 

legislative body provisions of an ordinance or rules governing the

 

subdivision of land authorized under section 105 of the land

 

division act, 1967 PA 288, MCL 560.105. If a township is subject to

 

county zoning consistent with section 209 of the Michigan zoning

 

enabling act, 2006 PA 110, MCL 125.3209, or a city or village is

 

subject to county zoning pursuant to the Michigan zoning enabling

 

act, 2006 PA 110, MCL 125.3101 to 125.3702, and a contract under

 

the urban cooperation act of 1967, 1967 (Ex Sess) PA 7, MCL 124.501

 

to 124.512, or 1967 (Ex Sess) PA 8, MCL 124.531 to 124.536, the

 

county planning commission may recommend to the legislative body of

 

the municipality provisions of an ordinance or rules governing the

 

subdivision of land authorized under section 105 of the land

 


division act, 1967 PA 288, MCL 560.105. A planning commission may

 

proceed under this subsection on its own initiative or upon request

 

of the appropriate legislative body.

 

     (2) Recommendations for a subdivision ordinance or rule may

 

address plat design, including the proper arrangement of streets in

 

relation to other existing or planned streets and to the master

 

plan; adequate and convenient open spaces for traffic, utilities,

 

access of firefighting apparatus, recreation, light, and air; and

 

the avoidance of congestion of population, including minimum width

 

and area of lots. The recommendations may also address the extent

 

to which streets shall be graded and improved and to which water

 

and sewer and other utility mains, piping, or other facilities

 

shall be installed as a condition precedent to the approval of a

 

plat.

 

     (3) Before recommending an ordinance or rule described in

 

subsection (1), the planning commission shall hold a public hearing

 

on the proposed ordinance or rule. The planning commission shall

 

give notice of the time and place of the public hearing not less

 

than 15 days before the hearing as follows:

 

     (a) If the hearing is held before January 1, 2015, by

 

publication in a newspaper of general circulation within the local

 

unit of government.

 

     (b) If the hearing is held after December 31, 2014, by tier B

 

public notice with a link under the local government public notice

 

act. If website posting is required, the posting period shall

 

include the 14 days immediately before the hearing.

 

     (4) If a municipality has adopted a master plan or master

 


street plan, the planning commission of that municipality shall

 

review and make recommendations on plats before action thereon by

 

the legislative body under section 112 of the land division act,

 

1967 PA 288, MCL 560.112. If a township is subject to county zoning

 

consistent with section 209 of the Michigan zoning enabling act,

 

2006 PA 110, MCL 125.3209, or a city or village is subject to

 

county zoning pursuant to the Michigan zoning enabling act, 2006 PA

 

110, MCL 125.3101 to 125.3702, and a contract under the urban

 

cooperation act of 1967, 1967 (Ex Sess) PA 7, MCL 124.501 to

 

124.512, or 1967 (Ex Sess) PA 8, MCL 124.531 to 124.536, and the

 

municipality has adopted a master plan or master street plan, the

 

county planning commission shall also review and make

 

recommendations on plats before action thereon by the legislative

 

body of the municipality under section 112 of the land division

 

act, 1967 PA 288, MCL 560.112.

 

     (5) A planning commission shall not take action on a proposed

 

plat without affording providing an opportunity for a public

 

hearing thereon. A plat submitted to the planning commission shall

 

contain the name and address of the proprietor or other person to

 

whom notice of a hearing shall be sent. Not less than 15 days

 

before the date of the hearing, notice of the date, time, and place

 

of the hearing shall be sent by mail to that person at that address

 

by mail and shall be published in a newspaper of general

 

circulation in the municipality. Similar notice shall be mailed and

 

to the owners of land immediately adjoining the proposed platted

 

land. In addition, if the hearing is held before January 1, 2015,

 

notice of the date, time, and place of the hearing shall be

 


published in a newspaper of general circulation in the

 

municipality. If the hearing is held after December 31, 2014,

 

notice of the date, time, and place of the hearing shall be given

 

by tier B public notice with a link under the local government

 

public notice act. If website posting is required, the posting

 

period shall include the 14 days immediately before the hearing.

 

     (6) A planning commission shall recommend approval, approval

 

with conditions, or disapproval of a plat within 63 days after the

 

plat is submitted to the planning commission. If applicable

 

standards under the land division act, 1967 PA 288, MCL 560.101 to

 

560.293, and an ordinance or published rules governing the

 

subdivision of land authorized under section 105 of that act, MCL

 

560.105, are met, the planning commission shall recommend approval

 

of the plat. If the planning commission fails to act within the

 

required period, the plat shall be considered to have been

 

recommended for approval, and a certificate to that effect shall be

 

issued by the planning commission upon request of the proprietor.

 

However, the proprietor may waive this requirement and consent to

 

an extension of the 63-day period. The grounds for any

 

recommendation of disapproval of a plat shall be stated upon the

 

records of the planning commission.

 

     (7) A plat approved by a municipality and recorded under

 

section 172 of the land division act, 1967 PA 288, MCL 560.172,

 

shall be considered to be an amendment to the master plan and a

 

part thereof. Approval of a plat by a municipality does not

 

constitute or effect an acceptance by the public of any street or

 

other open space shown upon the plat.

 


     Enacting section 1. This amendatory act does not take effect

 

unless House Bill No. 5560 of the 97th Legislature is enacted into

 

law.