MSU Extension Publication Archive Archive copy of publication, do not use for current recommendations. Up-to-date information about many topics can be obtained from your local Extension office. Your Community and Township Zoning Michigan State University Agricultural Experiment Station Circular Bulletin Louis A. Wolfanger, Issued February 1945 49 pages The PDF file was provided courtesy of the Michigan State University Library Scroll down to view the publication. C IRCL' lAR BCllETI!': ltH FEBRCARY 194~ CLARE COUNTY COOPERf,T:VE E~;nT~SjON SERVI CE y our Comm~~~ty R~~d TOWNSHIP ZONING 13)' LOllis A.. Wolfanger " If yu u lIH' /J lulLlLin /S for OIlL' .\',,-'(0", .t.: l"OIl' gnAiu, J 1/ you aTe /) IUlIlIiug ior fl'n ycu rs, ISf'OW U"ees. I f yo u (0' (' ,,fnnn i ll ,\! [01" (l IllOlclTed :,\'ears, gl'OH' 1111'11. " - Cltillc.'.c Pr01 'CI'" MICHIGAN STATE COLLEGE:: AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION SECTIONS OF SOIL SCIENCE AND CONSERVATION INSTITUTE FAST LANS I NC A \': Ollllll i u ('c l lf local leaders disc uss in!.!: ~'o ml11l1n i r \' L,nd-u!'l t" rrohlem ... ( l'hnt I1: .\ \ \ . ()ttcrht,iTI ,/c'ri,d l'I/ilIIJ.'fi" ,, /, 11 1111 1" ',1 /" I . , 1, 'ri,,1 , ', ,",,' 0/ UII !ll jl'idl li llr,,! " r,(i II Cli r (/ cily ill SIIIIIII!' rll .II !cit il/ull ill tit " /, r occs" ui iI"" 'I' /O/, III .'/ 11 ,\ (/ rllr(/I r cslilI'II(,( ('(lIIIIIIII II il\', Fit c silr/u(,' is 1f/lillIl" lill!/ III I/c ll tly r " lliliq . Fit,. /,roil II 1'1 i7'< ' .wi!.. f ",,'OI'<'iI III ,' c" r l \' liS,' o( titi,. IUlld for (/qr io lll ll rc, Ulld r ,'({" nl/ illar tidd,,', il 111"\' />, ' 11II 11' d, sl ill OC (II /, \' II/{, 1,fi" ('(I!('J' /, or/ oi II, ( "r,'u, II 1I',l " "1'<'I' , l itc (lill ­ slrll d ili ll lif (I I rlld'-lill" iti.llit·,,'(/ \' u, .,-""" t it l' II or tit ,'!'II /' url or IIII' (I/ ',U , II" r ol/ill lj ,(lI r ("C( , u /II I lit c IInlt' oi IIIO llY cit.\' {,'o rl.- crs tu itu'c'(' (I it OIllC ill l it e slI /> lIr/>s 11Il'l'( ,,'l i lllill"lcd til l' I/n)'c" tll of r llrol r esidolc(' , /> ol it ill "lill c"r (0111 - II IIIII iti('s" al o nl/ III,' it i.llit"l'o l's (t lld I II slI l, r/;'z ,i"io lls (lII d ((1111/,01' 1,,' illlllll'dill t l'ly 0(1' or 1/ I', Ir l it e I rlld '-lill" it illh z" (lI', MY COMMUNITY, AFTER THIS WAR Wlwt 'ie,ill it be liIe e? It will be different than it was beJorl' th e war. It will be differl'lIt thall it is todaj'. Tt is eltaNgillg dail:,! , 1('eel,' by wee I?, 1II0ilth b.,' 1II01lth , /Jecalls(' challge is a law of life. 501111' of Illy forlller Iril'lIds alld lI eighbors will be retllrnillg. N ewcolllers ?t,ill hI' IIIm,illg ill. SOllie people will be leaving. 501111' IIses of lalld 'will be abandolled. New IIs es of lallc! will be IIlIdertaken. Nezc' busillesses, 'II ew 'in­ dllstries alld other lI ew activities will spril1g 1Ip. Nne' hOllies, stores, chllrches, schools, Pllblic bllildillgs alld roads 'Will be b1lilt. Hl ill Illy C(JlIl/l1ll1lity develop ill to the !?illd of place T h(lve beell I/Opin,r;, strllgglill g, dre(llllillg it wOllld be for 111)! childrell alld their childrell! /I/'heth er 1 wish it or not, challges will talt e place ·in 1IIy nei,r;hborhood. Hilt by siltillg c/o'WIt 'With Illy neighbors, by taUl·ing over 0111' problellls and hopes, by agreeillg IIpOIi 1)lalls, by starting to talte appropriate actioll no'W, T C(lll give sOllie illtellige ll t direct'ion to the manner in which mOllY of the cl/(/'liges will take place, and help 1IIalfe 'Illy c01m·It'II ·lIity the !?illc! of place 1 'Wo llld I-il?e to have -it become. I III/1St aSSllllle that responsibilitj' lIIyself, 1/Ot leave it.fo another. Alld T IIIl1st shollider it todaj', 110t tomorro'W. NIj' harvest of to III 01'1'0'1(' 1( ,ill he the frllit of tIl l' seeds J sow today. CONTENTS l'ACE PREFAO: ... THE LAND PROBLEM: 110W SHALL WE LIVE TOGETHER?. .. ... 9 \Ve Multiply . ........ .......... 9 Yesterday and Today 9 The Third Migration . .. .. ]() Th e Struggle for Space and Land.... ......... .. ....... 12 The Urban-Rural Fringe.. ...... .......... ..... .. ...... 12 After the \Var . .. ..... .. .. .. .. ... •. 13 Mixed Land G'ses . ... 13 A P lace for Everythin g ....... .. .. ... .. .. ....... .. .. .... .. 14 The Price of Discord . ... 14 How Shall Vie L ive Together ? ..... .. ... .. .... .. .. ...... .. .... .. .. .. .. 15 Drift or Direct ? .. .. .. .. 15 Creditable Growth 0 " Blight? . ... ... ...... .... .. .... 15 \Vhat About M:.' Township ? . .... .. ... ...... .. .. ... ... .. .. 15 NEW PROBLEMS: NEW TOOLS 17 The Principle of Zon in g . .. .. ... .. .. .. 17 \Vhat Is Rural Zoning ? .. .. ... ......... .... .. .. .. .. .. ....... .. .. 17 Land-Use Provision s .... .. 19 Only \Vhat's Needed ..... .. .. .... .. ... .. .. .. .. .. ... 19 Building Regulations in a Zoning Ordinan ce .... 20 Legal \Vhys and Wherefores in Zoning . 21 Legal Objectives .. .. 21 Limitations in the Use of the Zoning Power 22 Some Question s and Answers 24 Is Zoning Re t"oactive? ....... .... .. .. .. .. .. ... .. 24 Does Zoning Reduce Land Values? . .. .. .. 24 vVho Does t he Zoning: . .. ......... ............. .. 26 Once in Effect, Can the Provisions of a ZOlling Ordinance Be Changed? 27 \Ve or "They?" ....... ...... ..... .... ........... 27 Change. a Law of L ife . ... 27 L ead or Be L ed . ...... 27 Town ship versus County Zoning 28 HOW TO ZONE A TOWNSHIP 29 I. Legalize Zoning in the Township 29 II. Appoin tment of Township Zoning Board .... ' " . ... .. .. 30 Membershi p of Zoning Board . ...... .... .. ........ ... 32 Notification of Appointment.... .. ........ .... .... .. 32 III.. Preparation of Zoning Plan and Map by Zoning Board ... .. .. .. 32 Assistance bv Public Agencies 33 Local Assist ance ........ .. ....... ..... .... .. .......... 33 ----- ---------------------------------------------------- HOW TO ZOKE A T O\\ 'KSHIP-Continued PAGE Specific Duties and Powers of the Zoning Board 3.+ Organization .... ... ..... ... .......... .. ... ... 3.+ Zone Plan ....... ......... .. ....... ... ... ...... .0 •••• 34 Public Hearing ..... ...... ..... .. .. .. ... .. .... .. .. 34 Regular Meetings . ... .. ...... ....... .. .. ... .... 34 Biennial Reports .. ......' .. .. .. .. .. ...... ... .. .. ..... 34 Technical Assistance . .. .. .. .. ... .... .. ... .. .. .. .. .. ....... 35 Compensation . .. .... ..... .... .. ..... ...... ... 35 Expenses ..... .. .. ..... ... ..... .. ... ....... .. .... 35 Zon in g on a Long -time Basis . .. .. ....... .. ..... .. ..... 35 The Inve ntory .......... ... .. ... ... .... .. ........ .. ...... 35 Makin g a Basic Plan of Land-Use fo r the Townshi p . ... .. .... 38 Drafting" the Zoning Map and Ordinance . ....... ... .. .. ... 39 Ready-made ve rsus Tail or-made Ordinances ... .. ..... 40 IV. Public Hearing . .... .... ........... .. .. ... ... .. ... ... ...... 40 V. Approval of County Zoning Commission .... .. .. ......... .. .. .... 41 V I. Enactment of Zoning O rdina nce by Township Board .. ...... ... .. 42 Changes by Township Board . .. .. .. .. .. ... 42 Administration of Ordin ance 43 V iolations and P enalties ... ... ... .. .... ........ ...... 43 VII. Publication of Ordin ance. Effective Date ... .... ............. 44 VIII. Referendum on Ordinance .. ....... .. .. ......... .. .. .. .. ... 45 P etition .. .. ................... .... .. .. .... ...... ... .. ........ .. 45 Majority Vote of the E lectora te .. .. ... ... ....... ............. 45 IX. Record of Nonconforming Uses 46 X. Creation of Board of Appeals 46 Amendments 47 Building Permits . ....... ...... .. ..... .... .. ...... .. ....... .. ......... 47 Interim or Shol·t -tel·m Ordin ances .... ..... ... 48 'WHAT CAN I DO? 49 c011lmunity-those priceless and intrinsic values upon which their life and welfare and the \Nell-being of their descendants are fundamentally based. O bviously, the best time fo r any community to study and weigh zoning is today. Tomorrow, there will be less to conserve. The day after tomorrow, still less. If the provisions of the new zoning act are carried out faithfully. with justice and common sense, zoning offers a means for putting a good land use and conservation program into eff ect in any community. \"'hether to zone and vv hen to zone are questions which only the people of a to\\'nshi p can decide fo r themselves. The an S \~ 'e r to the question \\·ill largely hinge upon \\" hether a cOllllllunity feels its future is better left mainly to chance or to some intelli gent direction by the people of the comll1 unity itself insofar as such direction is possible. Most communities that have zonecl - be th ey city, village, townshi p or county-express the wish they had zoned years ago. The wish ari ses from an appreciation that problems are easIer to attack hefore they happen or become too large than afterwards. The clock can never be turned back to reli ve a lost day. In many ways zoning is a kind of community \\'ell-being insurance that is better taken out \I·hile conditions are still healthy and wholesome in the CO l11lllunity_ Of course, some people feel they never \\"i ll be ill , or that the day fo r health preservation can somehow be postponed_ Some people think that way about the land and resource problems of their C0l11111unity _ They belieye that provision for th e im1ll edi ate day is ample_ They give little thought for t he morrow, ancl still less thought for th e clay after tomorrow_ T he problems of one's c01llmunity are not always easy to see without some thought or a sharpened eye. Some of the problems are only in the making. Oth ers do not affect our 0 \\"11 personal li ves in any direct manner. Nor are problelll s the same everywhere. Ho\\-ever, th e upheaval whi ch the ,,-ar has caused and th e ne\\- conditions of li ying which the post-war years wi ll usher in are so \\-ing the seeds of many new problems for every cO l11lllunity in the state. R ural leaders are coming to beli eve that the community \\-hi ch leaves its future to chance and which fa il s to plan and conserve the basic things upon \v hich its well-being is founded is faili ng in its duty to its citizens, present as well as future.