PLANNING COMMISSIONS: REVISE

TIMELINES FOR COMMENTS ON PLANS

House Bill 5885 and 5886

Sponsor:  Rep. John Stakoe

Committee:  Local Government and Urban Policy

Complete to 5-3-06

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILLS 5885 AND 5886 AS INTRODUCED 3-16-06

Planning commissions at the township, city, village, and county levels are required to consult with the planning commissions of neighboring communities, with regional planning commissions (in some cases), and with certain other interested parties, when developing the master plans that serve as a guide to development, and are required to share proposed master plans for review and comment before adoption and to distribute master plans once adopted.

Currently, an entity may submit comments within 65 days of receiving a proposed plan from a township, city, or village.  If comments are submitted, a copy of those comments must also be submitted to the county planning commission or county board of commissioners for the county in which the municipality proposing the plan is located.  House Bills 5885 and 5886 would amend various laws to delete the requirement that a copy of the comments be submitted to the affected county.   

In addition, the county commission or county board of commissioners must submit comments on the proposed plan to the municipal planning commission or the township planning commission within 75 to 95 days after receiving a proposed plan.  Instead, the bills would allow a county planning commission or county board of commissioners to submit comments; if comments were submitted, the 65-day time period that currently applies to the other entities would also apply to the counties.  (A county would still have to include with its comments on a proposed plan a statement as to whether it considered the proposed plan inconsistent with the plan of any city, village, township, or region consulted and a statement whether the proposed plan was inconsistent with the county plan, if there was one.  As is now the case, these statements would be advisory only.)

House Bill 5885 would amend the General Municipal Planning Act (MCL 125.37b, 125.38, and 125.38a) which addresses planning commissions in municipalities (defined as cities, villages, and townships).

House Bill 5886 would amend Public Act 168 of 1959 (MCL 125.327b, 125.328, and 125.329), which deals with township planning commissions.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The bills should have no significant state or local fiscal impact.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   Susan Stutzky

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   Jim Stansell

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.