(1) As used in this section:
  (a) “District area” means a portion of a municipality consisting of 1 or more adjacent or nearby development areas and any surrounding territory that will be significantly affected by the plan for the development area or areas, where a majority of residents in the district area reside in the development area or areas.

Terms Used In Michigan Laws 125.74

  • Blighted area: means a portion of a municipality, developed or undeveloped, improved or unimproved, with business or residential uses, marked by a demonstrated pattern of deterioration in physical, economic, or social conditions, and characterized by such conditions as functional or economic obsolescense of buildings or the area as a whole, physical deterioration of structures, substandard building or facility conditions, improper or inefficient division or arrangement of lots and ownerships and streets and other open spaces, inappropriate mixed character and uses of the structures, deterioration in the condition of public facilities or services, or any other similar characteristics which endanger the health, safety, morals, or general welfare of the municipality, and which may include any buildings or improvements not in themselves obsolescent, and any real property, residential or nonresidential, whether improved or unimproved, the acquisition of which is considered necessary for rehabilitation of the area. See Michigan Laws 125.72
  • Development area: means that portion of a blighted area to which a development plan is applicable. See Michigan Laws 125.72
  • Development plan: means a plan for the rehabilitation of all or any part of a blighted area. See Michigan Laws 125.72
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • in writing: shall be construed to include printing, engraving, and lithographing; except that if the written signature of a person is required by law, the signature shall be the proper handwriting of the person or, if the person is unable to write, the person's proper mark, which may be, unless otherwise expressly prohibited by law, a clear and classifiable fingerprint of the person made with ink or another substance. See Michigan Laws 8.3q
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Municipality: means a county, city, village, or township in the state. See Michigan Laws 125.72
  • Real property: means land, buildings, improvements, land under water, waterfront property, and any and all easements, franchises and hereditaments, corporeal or incorporeal, and every estate, interest, privilege, easement, franchise and right therein, or appurtenant thereto, legal or equitable, including rights of way, terms for years, and liens, charges, or incumbrances by mortgage, judgment, or otherwise. See Michigan Laws 125.72
  • Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
  (b) “Development plan” and “development area” mean those terms as defined in section 2.
  (c) “Citizens’ district council” means a citizens’ district council established under this act.
  (d) “Coordinating council on community redevelopment” means any coordinating council on community redevelopment established under this act.
  (2) Except as provided in subsection (7), the plans, statements, and actions prescribed in subsections (3) to (11) are requirements and conditions for the exercise of the powers granted by this act for the acquisition, sale, or lease of real property for the carrying out of a development plan in a development area.
  (3) The following plans shall be adopted by the local legislative body of the municipality in which the development area is located:
  (a) A master plan of the municipality or a master plan which is sufficiently advanced to designate areas in need of rehabilitation or in need of measures to prevent blight.
  (b) A plan of the general features of development of the district within which the development area lies and of other districts adjacent to the development area, of such extent, content, and particularity as is necessary to the coordination of the development area plan with the future development of the territory surrounding the development area, or, if no future development is planned, then in coordination with the present development.
  (4) District areas shall be designated for all development areas that have been approved by a local legislative body and subject to the terms of this act as of January 1, 1968, and all subsequent development areas that are so approved. A district area shall not be designated unless the local legislative body first holds a public hearing on the designation. The legislative body shall give notice of the public hearing not less than 20 nor more than 30 days before the date for the public hearing.
  (5) Citizens’ district councils are governed by the following:
  (a) Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, for each district area, a citizens’ district council of not less than 12 nor more than 25 members shall be selected in a manner that ensures that the citizens’ district council is to the maximum extent possible representative of the residents of the area and of other persons with a demonstrable and substantial interest in the area. The majority of the citizens’ district council shall be composed of citizens living in the development area.
  (b) The term of office on the councils shall be 3 years. If terms of council members are not staggered, then, upon the expiration of the terms of the members of the citizens’ district council, 1/3 shall be elected or appointed for 3 years, 1/3 for 2 years and 1/3 for 1 year.
  (c) Members of the council may be selected by direct election by the residents of the area and other persons with a demonstrable and substantial interest in the area, or may be appointed by the chief executive officer of the municipality after consultation with local community groups and residents of the area, or by a combination of appointment and election. The method of selection of the citizens’ district council, and any appointments to the council by the chief executive officer, shall be determined with the approval of the local legislative body after a public hearing has been held, with public notice of such hearing distributed throughout the district area at least 20 days before the date of the hearing. Citizens’ district councils shall be established within 45 days of any initial designation of a development area by any local planning agency or local legislative body.
  (d) In a city of over 1,000,000, the local legislative body shall adopt an ordinance governing the composition and method of selecting the members of the citizens’ district councils, with the limitation that such an ordinance shall provide for a majority of the citizens’ district council to be composed of citizens living in a development area or areas.
  (6) The local official responsible for preparation of the development plan within the district area shall periodically consult with and advise the citizens’ district council regarding all aspects of the plan, including the development of new housing for relocation purposes located either inside or outside of the development area. The consultation shall begin before any final decisions by any local planning agency or local legislative body regarding the development plan other than the designation of the development area. The consultation shall continue throughout the various stages of the development plan, including the final implementation of the plan. The local officials responsible for the development of the plan shall incorporate into the development plan the desires and suggestions of the citizens’ district council to the extent feasible. A local commission, public agency, or local legislative body of any municipality shall not approve any development plan for a development area unless there has previously been consultation between the citizens’ district council and the local officials responsible for the development plan. A record of the meetings, including information and data presented, shall be maintained and included in official presentation of the proposed development plan to the local legislative body.
  (7) The chief executive officer of the municipality shall give the citizens’ district council written notice of any contemplated zoning change, hearing, or condemnation proceedings within the district area. The notice shall be given at least 20 days before the effective date of the change or the date of the hearing or proceedings. Upon receiving a request from the citizens’ district council, the local legislative body shall hold a public hearing on the proposed zoning change or condemnation proceedings. Each citizens’ district council may call upon any city department for information.
  (8) In a municipality with 2 or more district areas, each citizens’ district council shall elect 4 of its members who shall compose the entire membership of the coordinating council on community redevelopment. The committee shall advise local units of government on proposed policy on urban renewal, make recommendations for new projects, and promote better relations between local units of government and residents of urban renewal areas. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this act, the formation of a coordinating council on community redevelopment shall not be a requisite for or condition of the exercise of the powers granted by this act for the acquisition, sale, or lease of real property, or the carrying out of a development plan in a development area.
  (9) The local legislative body shall adopt a development plan after consultation with a citizens’ district council, if required, and a public hearing on the development plan as provided in subsection (11), for the development area in which the land proposed to be acquired is located or for the effectuation or protection of which development the proposed land acquisition is deemed necessary. A development plan shall comply with the following:
  (a) The plan shall designate the location and extent of streets and other public facilities within the area and shall designate the location, character, and extent of the categories of public and private land uses proposed for and within the area, such as residential, recreation, business, industry, schools, open spaces, and others, and shall also include a feasible method for the relocation of families who will be displaced from the area in decent, safe, and sanitary dwelling accommodations and without undue hardship to those families, and such other general features of the proposed rehabilitation as may be determined by the local legislative body. A feasible method for relocation of displaced families shall demonstrate that standard housing units are or will be available to the displaced families and individuals at rents or prices within their financial means, in reasonably convenient locations not less desirable than the development area with respect to utilities and facilities.
  (b) The plan shall designate the location, extent, character, and estimated cost of the improvements contemplated for the area and may include any or all of the following improvements:
  (i) Partial or total vacation of plats, or replatting.
  (ii) Opening, widening, straightening, extending, vacating, or closing streets, alleys, or walkways.
  (iii) Locating or relocating water mains, sewers, or other public or private utilities.
  (iv) Paving of streets, alleys, or sidewalks in special situations.
  (v) Acquiring parks, playgrounds, or other recreational areas or facilities.
  (vi) Street tree planting, green belts, or buffer strips.
  (vii) Property renovation in accordance with this act.
  (viii) Parking facilities.
  (ix) Commercial area promotion.
  (x) Economic restructuring of commercial areas.
  (xi) Recruiting of new businesses.
  (xii) Other appropriate public improvements and activities which address rehabilitation or blight prevention in accordance with this act.
  (c) The plan shall include estimates of the number of persons residing in the development area and the number of families and individuals to be displaced; a survey of their income and racial composition; a statistical description of the housing supply in the community, including the number of private and public units in existence or under construction, the annual rate of turnover of the various types of housing, and the range of rents and sale prices; an estimate of the total demand for housing in the community; and the estimated capacity of private and public housing available to displaced families and individuals.
  (10) A local administrative agency shall be designated to provide information concerning private and public housing available to displaced families and individuals and to advise and assist in their relocation.
  (11) Before the determination of a blighted area and a determination that there is a feasible method for relocation of families and individuals who will be displaced from the area, and before adoption of a development plan, the local legislative body shall hold a public hearing, which hearing shall comply with the following:
  (a) Notice of the time and place of the hearing shall be given by publication in a newspaper of general circulation not less than 30 days before the date set for the hearing. Notice of the hearing shall be distributed in the blighted area at least 25 days before the hearing. Notice of the hearing shall be mailed at least 25 days before the hearing to the last known owner of each parcel of land in the blighted area at the last known address of that owner as shown by the records of the assessor. The notice shall contain a description of the development area. For purposes of this notice it shall be sufficient to describe the boundaries of the development area by its location in relation to highways, streets, streams, or otherwise. The notice shall further contain a statement that maps, plats, and a particular description of the development plan, including the method of relocating families and individuals who will be displaced from the area, are available for public inspection at a place to be designated in the notice, and that all aspects of the development plan will be open for discussion at the public hearing.
  (b) At the time set for hearing the local legislative body shall provide an opportunity for all persons interested to be heard and shall receive and consider communications in writing with reference to the development plan. The hearing shall provide the fullest opportunity for expression of opinion, for argument on the merits of the development plan, and for introduction of documentary evidence pertinent to the development plan.
  (c) The local legislative body shall make and preserve a record of the public hearing, including specific findings of fact with respect to its determination of the blighted area and its determination that there is a feasible method for relocation of families and individuals who will be displaced from the area, all data presented at the public hearing and all other data which the legislative body considered in making its determinations. If no individuals reside in the development area, the legislative body is not required to determine a feasible method for relocating residents.
  (12) Within 10 days after the completion of the public hearing as provided in subsection (11), the citizens’ district council for the district within which the proposed development area is located shall notify the local legislative body in writing of its approval or disapproval of the development plan. If the citizens’ district council approves the plan or fails to notify the local legislative body of its approval or disapproval of the plan, the local legislative body is free to act on the plan. If the citizens’ district council disapproves the plan and so notifies in writing the local legislative body, the local legislative body shall not adopt the plan for at least 30 days after receipt of the notice and during that period shall consult with the citizens’ district council concerning its objections.
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