Finding Common Ground

The Michigan Relative Risk Analysis Project from 1992, concluded that the “lack of integrated and coordinated land use planning” in Michigan is one of the top environmental problems. For coordination to be effective, it must be done on a larger geographic scale such as a watershed.

An example would be the issues of groundwater and surface water:
One community can have a very good system in place to protect a river, lake, or groundwater, but water does not stop at the political boundaries. So, coordinated planning at a watershed or ground-watershed level is critical for long term success.

Other topics that can demand a multi-government cooperative planning approach include:

1. Natural features such as lakes and rivers often touch more than one municipality.


2. Technology for farming, pipelines, and radio transmissions cross boundaries.


3. Transportation includes multiple municipalities.


4. Major developments have impacts on more than just one municipality.

What is the Michigan Public Act 226 of 2003 the Joint Municipal Planning Act?

The purpose of this Act is to provide:

• An Option for joint land use planning


• An Option to have joint exercise of certain zoning powers


• An Option to conduct other duties by local units of government


• An Option to establish powers and duties of joint planning commissions

Examples of options for local governments to consider include:

• Individual units of government modifying their ordinances simultaneously to include language that would incorporate aspects of natural resource protection


• Developing an overlay zoning district that would cross jurisdictional boundaries that would be incorporated into existing independent units of government’s zoning ordinances


• Forming a new joint (multi-jurisdictional) planning commission or zoning board


• Implement watershed management plans


• Moving towards permitting on a watershed basis


• Sharing zoning administration


• Sharing enforcement activities