Terms Used In Michigan Laws 125.990h

  • Assessable property: means real property in a zone area other than real property exempt from the collection of taxes under the general property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211. See Michigan Laws 125.990
  • Assessment: means an assessment imposed under this chapter against assessable property for the benefit of the property owners. See Michigan Laws 125.990
  • Board: means the board of directors of a business improvement zone. See Michigan Laws 125.990
  • Business improvement zone: means a business improvement zone created under this chapter. See Michigan Laws 125.990
  • Foreclosure: A legal process in which property that is collateral or security for a loan may be sold to help repay the loan when the loan is in default. Source: OCC
  • 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
  • Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
  • month: means a calendar month; the word "year" a calendar year; and the word "year" alone shall be equivalent to the words "year of our Lord". See Michigan Laws 8.3j
  • Project: means any activity for the benefit of property owners authorized by section 10a to enhance the business environment within a zone area. See Michigan Laws 125.990
  • Property owner: means a person who owns, or an agent authorized in writing by a person who owns, assessable property according to the records of the treasurer of the city or village in which the business improvement zone is located. See Michigan Laws 125.990
  • Zone area: means the area designated in the zone plan as the area to be served by the business improvement zone. See Michigan Laws 125.990
  • Zone plan: means a set of goals, strategies, objectives, and guidelines for the operation of a business improvement zone. See Michigan Laws 125.990
  (1) A business improvement zone may be funded in whole or in part by 1 or more assessments on assessable property, as provided in the zone plan. An assessment under this chapter shall be in addition to any taxes or special assessments otherwise imposed on assessable property. The business improvement zone, with the approval of the board, may enter into agreements with 1 or more property owners in the city or village providing for the provision of business zone activities or services to the property owner or owners by the business improvement zone in exchange for monetary contributions to the business improvement zone from the property owner or owners. An agreement providing for the provision of business zone activities or services described in this subsection shall be in writing and shall be made available to all property owners of assessable property in the zone area.
  (2) An assessment shall be imposed against assessable property only on the basis of the benefits to assessable property afforded by the zone plan. There is a rebuttable presumption that a zone plan and any project specially benefits all assessable property in a zone area.
  (3) If a zone plan provides for an assessment, the treasurer of the city or village in which the zone area is located as an agent of the business improvement zone shall collect the assessment imposed by the board under the zone plan on all assessable property within the zone area in the amount authorized by the zone plan.
  (4) Except as provided in subsection (6), assessments shall be collected by the treasurer of the city or village as an agent of the business improvement zone from each property owner and remitted promptly to the business improvement zone. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, assessment revenue is the property of the business improvement zone and not the city or village in which the business improvement zone is located. However, all payments to the treasurer shall be entirely applied first to the balance of any property taxes owed to the city or village and only then any remaining payment amount shall be considered assessment revenue belonging to the business improvement zone and applied to the assessment levied under this chapter. The business improvement zone may, at the option and under the direction of the treasurer, assist the treasurer of the city or village in collecting the assessment to keep the expenses of collecting the assessment at a minimum.
  (5) The business improvement zone may institute a civil action to collect any delinquent assessment and interest.
  (6) An assessment is delinquent if it has not been paid within 90 days after it was due as provided under the zone plan imposed under this chapter. Delinquent assessments shall be collected by the business improvement zone. Delinquent assessments shall accrue interest at a rate of 1.5% per month until paid.
  (7) If any portion of the assessment has not been paid within 90 days after it was due, that portion of the unpaid assessment shall constitute a lien on the property. The lien amount shall be for the unpaid portion of the assessment and shall include any applicable interest. Alternatively, a delinquent and unpaid assessment may, at the request of the business improvement zone, be returned as delinquent by the treasurer of the city or village and collected in the same manner as a delinquent tax special assessment along with any associated interest, fees, and costs under the general property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.1 to 211.155. However, property is not subject to forfeiture, foreclosure, and sale under section 78 to 79a of the general property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.78 to 211.79a, for nonpayment of an assessment under this chapter unless the property also is subject to forfeiture, foreclosure, and sale under section 78 to 79a of the general property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.78 to 211.79a, for delinquent property taxes. If a parcel of assessable property that has a delinquent and unpaid assessment is sold to a purchaser who is not related or affiliated to the seller, as determined by the board, the board may reduce or eliminate any delinquent and unpaid assessment on that parcel of assessable property if the property is not subject to forfeiture, foreclosure, and sale under section 78 to 79a of the general property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.78 to 211.79a. If the delinquent property taxes are paid, the property may not be forfeited, foreclosed, and sold for an unpaid assessment under this chapter.