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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Conan Smith Friday, December 14, 2001 Land
Programs Director (517)
487-9539 www.mecprotects.org Governor Signs Cluster Zoning Package
Broad Coalition Leads to Land Use Reform
Success
LANSING – Today
Governor Engler signed into law three measures that help local governments and
the development community cooperate to conserve land, protect natural resources
and retain the character of rural communities. Environmentalists herald the new laws as the first in a
series of important tools for local planners. “The ability to
trade denser development for land conservation is a hallmark of Smart Growth,
Michigan style,” said Conan Smith, Land Programs Director at the Michigan
Environmental Council. “These new
laws help our local governments to respect private property rights and simultaneously
protect the things they value about their communities.” House Bills 4995,
sponsored by state Representative Ruth Johnson (R-Holly), and House Bill 5028 sponsored
by Representative Randy Richardville (R-Monroe) allow developers to increase
density on a parcel of land in exchange for permanently protecting at least half
of it under conservation easements.
House Bill 5029, sponsored by Representative Chris Kolb (D-Ann Arbor) allows
a similar benefit in urban areas, where developers will preserve at least 20
percent of the land. “Many small,
sensitive habitats – such as unregulated wetlands -- will be preserved by these
laws,” Smith said. “We’re making
the development community a partner in protecting Michigan’s natural features.” The proposals
won the support of both the environmental community and the Michigan Home
Builders Association. Smith noted
that the bills alone will not solve the problems created by urban sprawl, but agreed
that clustering development is a step in the right direction. “We need to
encourage more sustainable patterns of development,” he said. “I hope the broad support these bills
garnered has opened the door for other important tools for our communities,
such as transfer of development rights and coordinated planning.” ### Conan Smith Land Programs
Director Michigan
Environmental Council 119 Pere
Marquette, Suite 2A Lansing,
MI 48912 p. 517-487-9539 f. 517-487-9541 FROM
THE GOVERNOR’S DESK: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Susan Shafer December 14, 2001 (517)
335-6397 Governor Engler Signs
Three Land Use Bills
Governor John
Engler today signed a land use bill package that creates a local zoning option
for land development preserving open space while increasing capacity on less
land. “This bill package
is an important first step in creating incentives to preserve open spaces while
using less land to encourage family-friendly neighborhoods,” said Governor
Engler. Specifically, under
this bill package, a landowner could increase the number of allowable
residential units on a parcel of land in exchange for preserving a portion in
perpetuity. House Bill 4995,
sponsored by State Representative Ruth Johnson (R - Holly), and House Bill
5028, sponsored by State representative Randy Richardville (R - Monroe), creates an option for
developers to increase density in exchange for preserving 50 percent of the
land as open space. If 50 percent
were placed under a perpetual conservation easement, the developer could build
up to three dwellings per acre, if a public sewer service were available. In the absence of a sewer system, up to
two dwellings per acre could be built.
“We are determined
to protect private property rights and keep taxes down,” said Rep.
Johnson. “These measures should
create better growth patterns that will preserve open spaces and our precious
natural resources for Michigan families.”
Johnson chairs the House Land Use and Environment Committee. “Preserving our
state’s natural features should be a principal part of any development plan,”
added Rep. Richardville. “The
quiet surroundings of open spaces such as wood lots and wetlands can improve
the quality of life for adults and provide a living classroom for young
people.” House Bill 5029,
sponsored by Chris Kolb (D – Ann Arbor), limits the development in cities and
villages to not more than 80 percent of the property to receive the increased
density allotment. This takes into
consideration the limited space in more urban areas. The bill package
requires local units of government to enact ordinances within 12 months of the
effective date of the act to allow this open space preservation. An exemption exists for municipalities
that have exercised a similar ordinance as of Oct. 1, 2001. In addition, the development of land
under this bill package is subject to all other applicable ordinances, laws and
rules. # # # |