ZONING AUTHORIZATION AND INITIATION

MCL ch. 125, subtit. Act 110 of 2006, art. II

in effect

MCL 125.3201 Regulation of land development and establishment of districts; provisions; uniformity of regulations; designations; limitations.

125.3201. Regulation of land development and establishment of districts; provisions; uniformity of regulations; designations; limitations. Sec. 201. (1) A local unit of government may provide by zoning ordinance for the regulation of land development and the establishment of 1 or more districts within its zoning jurisdiction which regulate the use of land and structures to meet the needs of the state's citizens for food, fiber, energy, and other natural resources, places of residence, recreation, industry, trade, service, and other uses of land, to ensure that use of the land is situated in appropriate locations and relationships, to limit the inappropriate overcrowding of land and congestion of population, transportation systems, and other public facilities, to facilitate adequate and efficient provision for transportation systems, sewage disposal, water, energy, education, recreation, and other public service and facility requirements, and to promote public health, safety, and welfare. (2) Except as otherwise provided under this act, the regulations shall be uniform for each class of land or buildings, dwellings, and structures within a district. (3) A local unit of government may provide under the zoning ordinance for the regulation of land development and the establishment of districts which apply only to land areas and activities involved in a special program to achieve specific land management objectives and avert or solve specific land use problems, including the regulation of land development and the establishment of districts in areas subject to damage from flooding or beach erosion. (4) A local unit of government may adopt land development regulations under the zoning ordinance designating or limiting the location, height, bulk, number of stories, uses, and size of dwellings, buildings, and structures that may be erected or altered, including tents and recreational vehicles. 2006, Act 110, Eff. July 1, 2006

MCL 125.3202 Zoning ordinance; determination by local legislative body; amendments or supplements; notice of proposed rezoning.

125.3202. Zoning ordinance; determination by local legislative body; amendments or supplements; notice of proposed rezoning. Sec. 202. (1) The legislative body of a local unit of government may provide by ordinance for the manner in which the regulations and boundaries of districts or zones shall be determined and enforced or amended or supplemented. Amendments or supplements to the zoning ordinance shall be adopted in the same manner as provided under this act for the adoption of the original ordinance. (2) Except as provided in subsection (3), the zoning commission shall give a notice of a proposed rezoning in the same manner as required under section 103. (3) For any group of adjacent properties numbering 11 or more that is proposed for rezoning, the requirements of section 103(2) and the requirement of section 103(4)(b) that street addresses be listed do not apply to that group of adjacent properties. (4) An amendment to a zoning ordinance by a city or village is subject to a protest petition under section 403. (5) An amendment to conform a provision of the zoning ordinance to the decree of a court of competent jurisdiction as to any specific lands may be adopted by the legislative body and the notice of the adopted amendment published without referring the amendment to any other board or agency provided for under this act. 2006, Act 110, Eff. July 1, 2006; Am. 2008, Act 12, Imd. Eff. Feb. 29, 2008

MCL 125.3203 Zoning ordinance; plan; incorporation of airport layout plan or airport approach plan; zoning ordinance adopted before or after March 28, 2001; applicability of public transportation facilities.

125.3203. Zoning ordinance; plan; incorporation of airport layout plan or airport approach plan; zoning ordinance adopted before or after March 28, 2001; applicability of public transportation facilities. Sec. 203. (1) A zoning ordinance shall be based upon a plan designed to promote the public health, safety, and general welfare, to encourage the use of lands in accordance with their character and adaptability, to limit the improper use of land, to conserve natural resources and energy, to meet the needs of the state's residents for food, fiber, and other natural resources, places of residence, recreation, industry, trade, service, and other uses of land, to ensure that uses of the land shall be situated in appropriate locations and relationships, to avoid the overcrowding of population, to provide adequate light and air, to lessen congestion on the public roads and streets, to reduce hazards to life and property, to facilitate adequate provision for a system of transportation including, subject to subsection (5), public transportation, sewage disposal, safe and adequate water supply, education, recreation, and other public requirements, and to conserve the expenditure of funds for public improvements and services to conform with the most advantageous uses of land, resources, and properties. A zoning ordinance shall be made with reasonable consideration of the character of each district, its peculiar suitability for particular uses, the conservation of property values and natural resources, and the general and appropriate trend and character of land, building, and population development. (2) If a local unit of government adopts or revises a plan required under subsection (1) after an airport layout plan or airport approach plan has been filed with the local unit of government, the local unit of government shall incorporate the airport layout plan or airport approach plan into the plan adopted under subsection (1). (3) In addition to the requirements of subsection (1), a zoning ordinance adopted after March 28, 2001 shall be adopted after reasonable consideration of both of the following: (a) The environs of any airport within a district. (b) Comments received at or before a public hearing under section 306 from the airport manager of any airport. (4) If a zoning ordinance was adopted before March 28, 2001, the zoning ordinance is not required to be consistent with any airport zoning regulations, airport layout plan, or airport approach plan. A zoning ordinance amendment adopted or variance granted after March 28, 2001 shall not increase any inconsistency that may exist between the zoning ordinance or structures or uses and any airport zoning regulations, airport layout plan, or airport approach plan. This section does not limit the right to petition for submission of a zoning ordinance amendment to the electors under section 402 or the right to file a protest petition under section 403. (5) The reference to public transportation facilities in subsection (1) only applies to a plan that is adopted or substantively amended more than 90 days after the effective date of the amendatory act that added this subsection. 2006, Act 110, Eff. July 1, 2006; Am. 2010, Act 305, Imd. Eff. Dec. 17, 2010

MCL 125.3204 Single-family residence; instruction in craft or fine art as home occupation.

125.3204. Single-family residence; instruction in craft or fine art as home occupation. Sec. 204. A zoning ordinance adopted under this act shall provide for the use of a single-family residence by an occupant of that residence for a home occupation to give instruction in a craft or fine art within the residence. This section does not prohibit the regulation of noise, advertising, traffic, hours of operation, or other conditions that may accompany the use of a residence under this section. 2006, Act 110, Eff. July 1, 2006

MCL 125.3205 Zoning ordinance subject to certain acts; regulation or control of oil or gas wells; prohibition; extraction of valuable natural resource; challenge to zoning decision; serious consequences resulting from extraction; factors; regulations not limited.

125.3205. Zoning ordinance subject to certain acts; regulation or control of oil or gas wells; prohibition; extraction of valuable natural resource; challenge to zoning decision; serious consequences resulting from extraction; factors; regulations not limited. Sec. 205. (1) A zoning ordinance is subject to all of the following: (a) The electric transmission line certification act, 1995 PA 30, MCL 460.561 to 460.575. (b) The regional transit authority act, 2012 PA 387, MCL 124.541 to 124.558. (c) The small wireless communications facilities deployment act, 2018 PA 365, MCL 460.1301 to 460.1339. (d) Part 8 of the clean and renewable energy and energy waste reduction act, 2008 PA 295, MCL 460.1221 to 460.1232. (2) A county or township shall not regulate or control the drilling, completion, or operation of oil or gas wells or other wells drilled for oil or gas exploration purposes and does not have jurisdiction with reference to the issuance of permits for the location, drilling, completion, operation, or abandonment of such wells. (3) An ordinance shall not prevent the extraction, by mining, of valuable natural resources from any property unless very serious consequences would result from the extraction of those natural resources. Natural resources shall be considered valuable for the purposes of this section if a person, by extracting the natural resources, can receive revenue and reasonably expect to operate at a profit. (4) A person challenging a zoning decision under subsection (3) has the initial burden of showing that there are valuable natural resources located on the relevant property, that there is a need for the natural resources by the person or in the market served by the person, and that no very serious consequences would result from the extraction, by mining, of the natural resources. (5) In determining under this section whether very serious consequences would result from the extraction, by mining, of natural resources, the standards set forth in Silva v Ada Township, 416 Mich 153 (1982), shall be applied and all of the following factors may be considered, if applicable: (a) The relationship of extraction and associated activities with existing land uses. (b) The impact on existing land uses in the vicinity of the property. (c) The impact on property values in the vicinity of the property and along the proposed hauling route serving the property, based on credible evidence. (d) The impact on pedestrian and traffic safety in the vicinity of the property and along the proposed hauling route serving the property. (e) The impact on other identifiable health, safety, and welfare interests in the local unit of government. (f) The overall public interest in the extraction of the specific natural resources on the property. (6) Subsections (3) to (5) do not limit a local unit of government's reasonable regulation of hours of operation, blasting hours, noise levels, dust control measures, and traffic, not preempted by part 632 of the natural resources and environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.63201 to 324.63223. However, such regulation shall be reasonable in accommodating customary mining operations. (7) A renewable energy project that received special land use approval under section 502 on or after January 1, 2021 is considered to be a prior nonconforming use and the special land use approval shall not be revoked or modified if substantial construction has occurred or if an expenditure equal to 10% of the project construction costs or $10,000.00, whichever is less, has been made. (8) This act does not limit state regulatory authority under other statutes or rules. 2006, Act 110, Eff. July 1, 2006; Am. 2011, Act 113, Imd. Eff. July 20, 2011; Am. 2012, Act 389, Eff. Mar. 28, 2013; Am. 2018, Act 366, Eff. Mar. 12, 2019; Am. 2023, Act 234, Eff. Feb. 13, 2024

MCL 125.3205a Amateur radio service station antenna structures.

125.3205a. Amateur radio service station antenna structures. Sec. 205a. (1) 47 CFR 97.15 provides that owners of certain amateur radio service station antenna structures more than 60.96 meters (200 feet) above ground level at the site or located near or at a public use airport must notify the federal aviation administration and register with the federal communications commission as required by 47 CFR part 17. (2) An amateur radio service station antenna structure may be erected at heights and dimensions sufficient to accommodate amateur radio service communications. Regulation of an amateur radio service station antenna structure by a local unit of government must not preclude amateur radio service communications. Rather, it must reasonably accommodate those communications and must constitute the minimum practicable regulation to accomplish the local unit of government's legitimate purpose. (3) To obtain information about the regulation of amateur radio service station antenna structures, a person may contact any advisory board that is jointly established by the Michigan section of the American radio relay league and 1 or more state organizations representing local units of government. Add. 2014, Act 556, Imd. Eff. Jan. 15, 2014

MCL 125.3205d Zoning ordinance; prohibition or regulation of commemorative signs.

125.3205d. Zoning ordinance; prohibition or regulation of commemorative signs. Sec. 205d. (1) A zoning ordinance shall not regulate or prohibit a sign that is located on or within a building and that commemorates any of the following: (a) Any of the following who die in the line of duty: (i) Police officers. (ii) Firefighters. (iii) Medical first responders. (iv) Members of the United States Armed Forces. (v) Corrections officers. (b) Veterans of the United States Armed Forces. (2) As used in this section, "medical first responder" means that term as defined in section 20906 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.20906. Add. 2018, Act 506, Eff. Mar. 28, 2019

MCL 125.3206 Residential use of property; adult foster care facilities; family, group child care homes, or qualified residential treatment programs.

125.3206. Residential use of property; adult foster care facilities; family, group child care homes, or qualified residential treatment programs. Sec. 206. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2), each of the following is a residential use of property for the purposes of zoning and a permitted use in all residential zones and is not subject to a special use or conditional use permit or procedure different from those required for other dwellings of similar density in the same zone: (a) A state licensed residential facility. (b) A facility in use as described in section 3(4)(k) of the adult foster care facility licensing act, 1979 PA 218, MCL 400.703. (c) A qualified residential treatment program that provides services for 10 or fewer individuals. (2) Subsection (1) does not apply to adult foster care facilities licensed by a state agency for care and treatment of persons released from or assigned to adult correctional institutions. (3) For a county or township, a family child care home is a residential use of property for the purposes of zoning and a permitted use in all residential zones and is not subject to a special use or conditional use permit or procedure different from those required for other dwellings of similar density in the same zone. (4) For a county or township, a group child care home shall be issued a special use permit, conditional use permit, or other similar permit if the group child care home meets all of the following standards: (a) Is located not closer than 1,500 feet to any of the following: (i) Another licensed group child care home. (ii) An adult foster care small group home or large group home licensed under the adult foster care facility licensing act, 1979 PA 218, MCL 400.701 to 400.737. (iii) A facility offering substance use disorder services to 7 or more people that is licensed under part 62 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.6230 to 333.6251. (iv) A community correction center, resident home, halfway house, or other similar facility that houses an inmate population under the jurisdiction of the department of corrections. (b) Has appropriate fencing for the safety of the children in the group child care home as determined by the local unit of government. (c) Maintains the property consistent with the visible characteristics of the neighborhood. (d) Does not exceed 16 hours of operation during a 24-hour period. The local unit of government may limit but not prohibit the operation of a group child care home between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. (e) Meets regulations, if any, governing signs used by a group child care home to identify itself. (f) Meets regulations, if any, requiring a group child care home operator to provide off-street parking accommodations for his or her employees. (5) For a city or village, a group child care home may be issued a special use permit, conditional use permit, or other similar permit. (6) A licensed or registered family or group child care home that operated before March 30, 1989 is not required to comply with this section. (7) This section does not prohibit a local unit of government from inspecting a family or group child care home for the home's compliance with and enforcing the local unit of government's zoning ordinance. For a county or township, an ordinance shall not be more restrictive for a family or group child care home than 1973 PA 116, MCL 722.111 to 722.128. (8) The establishment of any of the facilities listed under subsection (4)(a) after issuance of a special use permit, conditional use permit, or other similar permit pertaining to the group child care home does not affect renewal of that permit. (9) This section does not prohibit a local unit of government from issuing a special use permit, conditional use permit, or other similar permit to a licensed group child care home that does not meet the standards listed under subsection (4). (10) The distances required under subsection (4)(a) shall be measured along a road, street, or place maintained by this state or a local unit of government and generally open to the public as a matter of right for the purpose of vehicular traffic, not including an alley. 2006, Act 110, Eff. July 1, 2006; Am. 2007, Act 219, Imd. Eff. Dec. 28, 2007; Am. 2018, Act 513, Eff. Mar. 28, 2019; Am. 2022, Act 206, Imd. Eff. Oct. 7, 2022

MCL 125.3207 Zoning ordinance or decision; effect as prohibiting establishment of land use.

125.3207. Zoning ordinance or decision; effect as prohibiting establishment of land use. Sec. 207. A zoning ordinance or zoning decision shall not have the effect of totally prohibiting the establishment of a land use within a local unit of government in the presence of a demonstrated need for that land use within either that local unit of government or the surrounding area within the state, unless a location within the local unit of government does not exist where the use may be appropriately located or the use is unlawful. 2006, Act 110, Eff. July 1, 2006

MCL 125.3208 Nonconforming uses or structures.

125.3208. Nonconforming uses or structures. Sec. 208. (1) If the use of a dwelling, building, or structure or of the land is lawful at the time of enactment of a zoning ordinance or an amendment to a zoning ordinance, then that use may be continued although the use does not conform to the zoning ordinance or amendment. This subsection is intended to codify the law as it existed before July 1, 2006 in section 16(1) of the former county zoning act, 1943 PA 183, section 16(1) of the former township zoning act, 1943 PA 184, and section 3a(1) of the former city and village zoning act, 1921 PA 207, as they applied to counties, townships, and cities and villages, respectively, and shall be construed as a continuation of those laws and not as a new enactment. (2) The legislative body may provide in a zoning ordinance for the completion, resumption, restoration, reconstruction, extension, or substitution of nonconforming uses or structures upon terms and conditions provided in the zoning ordinance. In establishing terms for the completion, resumption, restoration, reconstruction, extension, or substitution of nonconforming uses or structures, different classes of nonconforming uses may be established in the zoning ordinance with different requirements applicable to each class. (3) The legislative body may acquire, by purchase, condemnation, or otherwise, private property or an interest in private property for the removal of nonconforming uses and structures. The legislative body may provide that the cost and expense of acquiring private property may be paid from general funds or assessed to a special district in accordance with the applicable statutory provisions relating to the creation and operation of special assessment districts for public improvements in local units of government. Property acquired under this subsection by a city or village shall not be used for public housing. (4) The elimination of the nonconforming uses and structures in a zoning district is declared to be for a public purpose and for a public use. The legislative body may institute proceedings for condemnation of nonconforming uses and structures under 1911 PA 149, MCL 213.21 to 213.25. 2006, Act 110, Eff. July 1, 2006; Am. 2008, Act 12, Imd. Eff. Feb. 29, 2008; Am. 2010, Act 330, Imd. Eff. Dec. 21, 2010

MCL 125.3209 Township zoning ordinance not subject to county ordinance, rule, or regulation.

125.3209. Township zoning ordinance not subject to county ordinance, rule, or regulation. Sec. 209. Except as otherwise provided under this act, a township that has enacted a zoning ordinance under this act is not subject to an ordinance, rule, or regulation adopted by a county under this act. 2006, Act 110, Eff. July 1, 2006

MCL 125.3210 Ordinance as controlling.

125.3210. Ordinance as controlling. Sec. 210. Except as otherwise provided under this act, an ordinance adopted under this act shall be controlling in the case of any inconsistencies between the ordinance and an ordinance adopted under any other law. 2006, Act 110, Eff. July 1, 2006

MCL 125.3211 Appointment of zoning commission by legislative body; purposes; petition; initiation of action to formulate zoning commission and zoning ordinance.

125.3211. Appointment of zoning commission by legislative body; purposes; petition; initiation of action to formulate zoning commission and zoning ordinance. Sec. 211. (1) The legislative body may proceed with the adoption of a zoning ordinance containing land development regulations and establishing zoning districts under this act upon appointment of a zoning commission as provided in section 301. (2) The legislative body may appoint a zoning commission for purposes of formulating a zoning ordinance on its own initiative or upon receipt of a petition requesting that action as provided under subsection (3). (3) Upon receipt of a petition signed by a number of qualified and registered voters residing in the zoning jurisdiction equal to not less than 8% of the total votes cast within the zoning jurisdiction for all candidates for governor at the last preceding general election at which a governor was elected, filed with the clerk of the local unit of government requesting the legislative body to appoint a zoning commission for purposes of formulating a zoning ordinance, the legislative body, at the next regular meeting, may initiate action to formulate a zoning commission and zoning ordinance under this act. 2006, Act 110, Eff. July 1, 2006

Source: Michigan Legislature (legislature.mi.gov)URL: https://legislature.mi.gov/documents/mcl/Chapter%20125.xmlFetched: 10/20/2026