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Land Use Page

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Schedule of Programs  2004 Land Use Legislation 2001 Plan & Zone Amendments 2006 Michigan Zoning
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Land Use Questions and Answers Index
Have a question on land use, planning, and zoning?  Please email it to me: schindl9@msu.edu .  Please tell me what county you are from.

A large part of Extension's service is to respond to email questions on land use, planning, and zoning.  This page contains questions which are among the more common ones received.  The questions and answers here are compiled from those I have received/responded to, and those I have participated in discussion with on the Michigan Society of Planning discussion board.  The materials here, are written for the specifics of planning and land use law in Michigan.  Please send your comments and suggestions to me, to make these pages a better service for you.  Send to schindl9@msu.edu .

 
Click to Jump to Questions on these topics:
Planning   
 
Zoning, Adoption and Amendment   Zoning, Special Use & PUD   Zoning, Open Space      
 
Zoning, Agriculture   Zoning, Other  
  • Terms of Office   
  • Residency, property ownership  
  • Conflict of Interest
  • Ethics with a possible conflict of interest
  • Incompatible Office   
  • Voting Twice on the Same Issue 
  • No Ex parte contact
  • Why Coordinated Planning
  • Adopting Plan Under New Acts   
  • Deadline to Complete "old" plan
  • Planning Library   
  • What is in a Plan   
  • What is in a Plan Part II
  • What does a plan cost
  • Land Use and Land Cover  
  • Capital Improvement Planning   
  • Housing   
  • Zoning Amendments and Plan   
  • Size of Zoning Ordinance
  • Land Patents & Zoning Jurisdiction
  • Public Notices for zoning Amendments
  • Elected Body Acts, even if Planning Commission Recommends Denial   
  • Conditions on Zoning Amendment   
  • Amending the Zoning Map
  • Have an area with out a zoning district
  • One-to-One relationship between zoning text and zoning map.    
  • Amending Zoning, downzone   
  • Adopt Part of a Zoning Ord.
  • Petition Zoning to a vote  
  • Permit Approval based on What Zoning Says on Date Application is Received.
  • Amendment & Permit at same time
  • Conditional Rezoning 
  • Conditional Uses (compared to Special Uses & Permitted Uses)
  • Special Use Permit
  • Special Use Permit and Variance
  • Zoning Permit Issued by Mistake
  • Transfer of Development Rights (TDR)
  • Open Space Sample Zoning   
  • Open Space Administration   
  • Open Space;  Which census is used.  
  • Open Space; Adopt Open Space provisions even if not meeting requirements  
  • Open Space in Agriculture Districts   
  • Agriculture subject to zoning? READ THIS QUESTION FIRST, it trumps all those below.
  • Agriculture Buildings Subject to Zoning?
  • Exempt from Construction Code Permits
  • Changing an Existing  
  • Right to Farm Act   
  • Limiting Number of Animal Units
  • Right to Farm Act, Exotic Animals  
  • Riding Stables  
  • Definition of Agriculture  
  • Bed and Breakfast
  • Home Occupatin: employees
  • Cottage Industry  
  • Mobile Homes  
  • Signs
  • Oil & Gas Processing Plant   
  • Mining and mine reclamation
  • Setbacks
  • Waterfront Zoning
  • Keyhole development
  • Boat Docks, Boat Houses & Enclosed Docks   
  • Wetland Buffers   
  • Airport Zoning   
  • Model Airplanes (Do not try to write zoning for every possible use) 
  • Windmills, Radio Towers (Do not try to write zoning for every possible use) 
  • Zoning Administrator   Zoning Appeals   Nonconforming Issues Land Divisions Subdivisions and Site Condominiums   Other  
  • What Zoning Applies for a Particular Zoning Permit Application.
  • Taking Minutes   
  • Back-up Zoning Administrator  
  • Coordination with Construction Code
  • Enforcement; Use of Site Plans, Follow up Inspections
  • If you disagree with a decision  
  • Conflict of Interest
  • Ethics with a possible conflict of interest
  • Cross membership on Appeals Board
  • Voting Twice on the Same Issue  
  • No Ex parte contact
  • Dimensional Variances   
  • Use Variances and County/Township   
  • Effective Date of an Appeals Board Decision   
  • Variance Expiration/Temporary Variances   
  • Variances do not go away  
  • How to Appeal and Appeal .
  • Appeals are public record .
  • How it Influence an Appeal Decision  
  • What is nonconforming?
  • Must allow expansion of nonconforming uses   
  • Lots in a subdivision   
  • Replacing building destroyed by an act of God   
  •   Divisions can never be divided again   
  • Property Line Adjustment
  • Dividing a lot in a subdivision 
  • Property Line boundary alternation/correction   
  • Requiring Land Surveys   
  • Zoning, Construction Code, and Land Division Act
  •  Lot in a subdivision is too small
  • Splitting a Lot   
  • Site Condos
  • Site Condo v. Subdivision
  • Open Meeting Act 
  • Addressing, Change Road Name
  • Nuisance Ordinance, County Authority
  • County Enforcement of Township Ordinances
  • County Junk Ordinance Junk Ordinance
  • Rental Housing, county authority   

  • Dry Wells
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    Schindler's Land Use Page: Land Use Page | Education catalog | Schedule of programs| Pamphlets |for people who are not members of local boardsquestions and answers | land use links | Old Stuff | Indicia, disclaimer, etc.
    2001 Planning & Zoning Amendments | 2004 Land Use Legislation | 2006 Michigan Zoning Enabling Act | 2008 Michigan Planning Enabling Act |Kurt Schindler
    Kurt H. Schindler, Regional Land Use Educator, MSU Extension, Wexford County; 401 N. Lake Street, Cadillac, Michigan 49601 | (231)779-9480 |schindl9@msu.edu | fax(231)779-9105 | Map to office