Michigan Townships Association is encouraging us to get the word out:
“Urgent! Engage now on legislation that would ‘blow local control to pieces’
“Local control is the principle that government works best when decisions are made closest to where the people live. A package of bills introduced in the Legislature would blow that concept to pieces,” warned the Detroit News in its Feb. 25 editorial, “Law would blow local control to pieces.”
In addition to bills introduced last week in the House, five additional bills were added this week that limit local governments’ ability to plan and make local decisions for their community’s future. The nine-bill package purports to address the state’s housing shortage by restricting local authority and local decisions. Affordable housing is essential across the state, but it should not come at the expense of local input by requiring local governments to follow one-size-fits-all requirements from the state.
The bills introduced this week include:
- House Bill 5581, sponsored by Rep. Tom Kunse (R-Clare). Prohibits a minimum dwelling area requirement greater than 500 square feet
- HB 5582, sponsored by Rep. Kristian Grant (D-Grand Rapids). Allows mobile homes in any residential area and mandates parking requirements at no more than one space per dwelling unit for multi-family residential use of property.
- HB 5583, sponsored by Rep. Matthew Longjohn (D-Portage). Mandates setback requirements at 15 feet or less from the front property line and five feet from the sides and rear for dwellings or outbuildings if the local unit of government is located in whole or part within a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA, determined by decennial census) or is located adjacent to a MSA area. There are currently 16 MSAs in the state, with 662 townships located within or adjacent to an MSA. Allows 25-foot setback only from a wetland, inland lake or stream, or ordinary high water mark of a Great Lake or Lake St. Clair.
- HB 5584, sponsored by Rep. Joey Andrews (D-St. Joseph Chtr. Twp.). Creates a statewide definition of “duplex” and mandates duplexes be a permitted use in any district where single-family residences are allowed.
- HB 5585, sponsored by Rep. Luke Meerman (R-Polkton Chtr. Twp.). Mandates that accessory dwelling units (ADUs) be permitted by right in residential zoning districts and not subject to a public hearing. Also permits mobile homes be located in any residential area and that ADUs be prohibited from density calculations, additional parking requirements and owner occupancy requirements.
The five bills were referred to the House Government Operations Committee. It is also anticipated the previously introduced bills—HB 5529, HB 5530 and HB 5531—will next be considered by the House Government Operations Committee as soon as next week. Read those bill summaries here.”