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Decision Process Guide For New Development
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Planning and zoning are two different things. Planning is an attempt to guide and predict a community's growth, development, and change. Planning has been around since the dawn of agriculture, if not earlier. It is both an ancient art and a contemporary one.
Zoning, on the other hand, is relatively new. Zoning ordinances and regulations limit the location of certain land uses along with the structures that house them - usually on a comprehensive, or jurisdictional basis. In Michigan, zoning is regulated at the county, township or city/village level. Zoning is authorized by enabling legislation passed by the state legislature. In Michigan, this has been accomplished by the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act. Every zoning ordinance provision, if it is to be upheld by the courts, must, in the eyes of judges, be based upon the authority provided by this act.
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In general, all land use development is regulated by local zoning. So, when considering a new development or a change to an existing one, the first thing to determine is who regulates the zoning in that particular community. Is it done by the county, township, or city/village? It is important to find out what the local regulations are for the parcel of land you are interested in. What works in one neighborhood may not work in a similar neighborhood in a different county.
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This page last updated on 7/17/2006.
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