Proposed state legislation called threat to local government control
Nearly 100 local municipal leaders packed a crowded meeting last week, urging state lawmakers to reject a sweeping set of proposed housing bills limiting local control of zoning and home construction. Local officials contend House Bills 5529 through 5532 would impact property values in local communities and limit public input of environmental issues.
The bills were introduced last week as part of a broader effort to address housing supply challenges by limiting local regulatory barriers, according to State Rep. Joseph Aragona, chair of the House Committee on Regulatory Reform.
More than 1,300 local officials, however, representing 6.2 million Michigan residents, voiced opposition to one-size-fits-all legislation during the first 48-hour period of the introduction of the new regulations. Last week, SEMCOG (South Eastern Michigan Council of Governments) and partner organizations Michigan Municipal League and Michigan Townships Association hosted a bipartisan event in opposition to the statewide zoning preemption legislation introduced in the Michigan House of Representatives. Officials called on state leaders to protect local voices, support flexible housing policies, and strengthen partnerships between state and local governments.
Canton Township Supervisor Anne Marie Graham-Hudak expressed her opposition, along with that of more than 100 other mayors and supervisors in the state.
"I'm grateful to the many elected officials who joined in opposition of the one-size-fits-all zoning preemption bills currently under consideration in the Michigan House of Representatives," said Graham-Hudak.
“The bills, as proposed, could significantly impact property values in the community by limiting resident input on important environmental issues, utility upgrades, and housing stock in the community,” she said.
Romulus Mayor Robert McCraight and members of the Romulus City Council are also opposed to the new bills. Members of the council unanimously approved a resolution opposing the proposed legislation noting that the bills “would reduce a community’s right to enforce their own ordinances”.
“Why develop and approve zoning ordinances or a master plan if the state hopes to strip away your authority and hand it over to developers. Please contact your state representatives and tell them to vote no,” McCraight commented in a post on the official city website.
The legislation would pre-empt certain local zoning ordinances by prohibiting local units of government — including counties with zoning authority — from requiring minimum lot sizes greater than 1,500 square feet for new residential construction, provided the proposed dwelling has access to public water and sewer services. Supporters of the bills argue that reducing the allowable minimum lot size would open the door to higher-density development, lower land costs per unit, and create more attainable housing options in communities with existing infrastructure.
The proposal represents a significant shift in the balance between state authority and local zoning control, according to opponents of the legislation. Counties and municipalities that currently impose larger minimum lot sizes could be required to amend their ordinances to comply with the new statewide standard.
If enacted, the package would mark one of the most significant state-level zoning pre-emptions in recent Michigan history, reshaping how communities regulate residential development in areas served by public utilities, according to SEMCOG
Review the proposed bills at: https://www.legislature.mi.
