MASTER PLAN; REQUIRE HOUSING NEEDS H.B. 5557:
SUMMARY OF HOUSE-PASSED BILL
IN COMMITTEE
House Bill 5557 (as passed by the House)
Sponsor: Representative Kristian Grant
House Committee: Economic Development and Small Business
Senate Committee: Local Government
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Planning Enabling Act to require a local government's master plan to promote a range of housing types and include an assessment of the community s housing demand with strategies and policies for addressing those demands. It also would add housing to the list of major interests that the membership of a local government's planning commission must represent.
The Act allows local governments to adopt, amend, and implement master plans, which local governments use as guides to plan development that improves the community and its general welfare. Currently, one requirement of a master plan is that it must include, among other things, promotion of or adequate provision for one or more of the following:
-- A system of transportation to lessen congestion on streets and provide for safe and efficient movement of people and goods by motor vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, and other legal users.
-- Safety from fire and other dangers.
-- Light and air.
-- Healthful and convenient distribution of population.
-- Good civic design and arrangement and wise and efficient expenditure of public funds.
-- Public utilities such as sewage disposal and water supply and other public improvements.
-- Recreation.
-- The use of resources in accordance with their character and adaptability.
The bill would add to the above list a range of housing types, costs, affordability, attainability, ages, and other characteristics, including single- and multiple-family dwellings, to serve the housing demands of a diverse population.
In addition, a master plan currently must address land use and infrastructure issues and may project 20 years or more into the future. A master plan must include maps, plats, charts, and descriptive, explanatory, and other related matter, and must show the planning commission's recommendations for the physical development of the planning jurisdiction. The Act requires a master plan to include specific subjects reasonably considered relevant to the future development of the planning jurisdiction, such as land use for agriculture, residences, and commerce. Under the bill, a master plan also would have to include an assessment of the community's existing and forecasted housing demands, with strategies and policies for addressing those demands.
Finally, the Act requires the chief elected official of a municipality to appoint members of a planning commission. The membership of the planning commission must be representative of important segments of the community in accordance with the major interests of the community, such as agriculture, natural resources, recreation, education, public health,
government, transportation, industry, and commerce. The bill would add housing to the list of major interests that the membership of a planning commission must represent.
MCL 125.3807 et al. Legislative Analyst: Alex Krabill
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on the State and possibly a minor negative fiscal impact on local units of government. The bill s fiscal impact on local units of government would be in the form of increased administrative costs.
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.