Land Use Pamphlets
June 15, 2020
MSU Extension Land Use Series Pamphlets
The materials listed below are written for the specifics of planning and zoning law in Michigan and are generally not applicable in other states.
Pamphlets all have a land use theme and are written by various Michigan State University Extension educators and specialists. Topics Include:
- Michigan Planning Enabling Act and Michigan Zoning Enabling Act
- Planning and Zoning Audits
- Planning and Zoning Court Summaries
- Planning and Zoning: Michigan Right to Farm Act
- Planning and Zoning Samples
- Planning and Zoning: Other Documents
Michigan Planning Enabling Act and Michigan Zoning Enabling Act
- #1A: To Create a Planning Commission or Amend an Existing Planning Commission Ordinance
- #1B: Sample Ordinance to Create a Planning Commission
- #1C: Summary of Changes Between new Michigan Planning Enabling Act and the Three Planning Acts: Municipal Planning Act, County Planning Act and Township Planning Act
- #1D: Steps to Transition an Existing Planning Commission to Comply with the Michigan Planning Enabling Act
- #1E: Sample Bylaws for a Planning Commission
- #1F: What Should be in a Master Plan?
- #1G: For Adoption of a Plan in Michigan
- #1H: The Five-Year Plan Review
- #1I: For Adoption of an Amendment to a Plan
- #1J: Adopting and Updating a Capital Improvement Program
- #1K: Review of Infrastructure and Public Capital Expenditures
- #1L: For Adoption of a Subdivision Ordinance or Rules Governing the Subdivision of Land in Michigan
- #1M: How Governments Make Submissions on a Neighbor's or County's Proposed Plan
- #1N: How a Planning Commission Should Respond to Submissions
- #2: For Adoption of a Zoning Ordinance in Michigan
- #3: For Adoption of an Interim Zoning Ordinance in Michigan
- #4: For Adoption of a Zoning Ordinance Amendment (including some PUDs) in Michigan
- #5: For Processing a Zoning Special Use Permit (including some PUDs) in Michigan
- #6: For Processing a Zoning Appeal and Variance in Michigan
- #9: Sample Approach to Update a Zoning Ordinance to Comply with Michigan Zoning Enabling Act of 2006
Planning and Zoning Audits
- Community Planning & Zoning Audit #1 - Basic Setup
- Community Planning & Zoning Audit #2 - The Plan
- Community Planning & Zoning Audit #3 - Planning Coordination
- Community Planning & Zoning Audit #4 - The Zoning Ordinance
- Community Planning & Zoning Audit #5 - Administrative Structure
- Community Planning & Zoning Audit #6 - Special Land Uses
- Community Planning & Zoning Audit #7 - Planned Unit Development
- Community Planning & Zoning Audit #8 - Site Plan Review
- Community Planning & Zoning Audit #9 - Capital Improvement Programming
- Community Planning & Zoning Audit #10 - Subdivision and Land Splitting Reviews
- Community Planning & Zoning Audit #11 - Capital Improvements Review
Planning and Zoning Court Summaries
MSU Extension summarizes important planning and zoning court cases and prepares summaries of cases each year dating back to 2003.
Planning and Zoning: Michigan Right to Farm Act
- What sorts of local regulations are preempted by the Right to Farm Act (RTFA)?
- Who is protected from nuisance suits under the Right to Farm Act (RTFA)
- Selected Zoning Court Cases Concerning the Michigan Right to Farm Act 1964 - present
Planning and Zoning Samples
- Sample Zoning Amendments and Program For Groundwater Protection
- Parcel Division Application
- Parcel Division Review Work Sheet
- Sample Ordinance to Create a Planning Commission (above)
- Sample Bylaws for a Planning Commission (above)
- Sample Joint Planning Commission Agreement/Ordinance
- Sample Zoning Board of Appeals Rules of Procedure (above)
- Sample Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals Code of Conduct (above)
- Sample Zoning for Wind Energy Systems
Planning and Zoning: Other Documents
- Better Designs for Development in Michigan: Putting Conversation into Local Land Use Regulations
- Can Small Towns Be Cool? Study Translation Paper
- Michigan Local Government: New Economy Preparation Checklist
- How to Deal with Accumulated Junk Problems
- County Planning: Its Legal Authority and Coordinated Planning
- How to Take Minutes for Administrative Decisions
- A Behavioral Approach to Avoid Regulatory Takings
- Restrictions on Zoning Authority
- Removing Spot Zoning From the Fabric of Zoning Practice
- How to Set Permit Fees
- Organization and Codification of a Zoning Ordinance
- Elected Officials: Dealing with Constituent Complaints on Planning and Zoning Issues
- Form Based Codes and Michigan Zoning Enabling Acts
- Planning Under Michigan Planning Enabling Acts: The Wexford County Example