(A) The Planning Commission shall make and approve a master plan as a guide for development within the planning jurisdiction subject to the provision of Public Act 33 of 2008.
(B) In preparing a master plan, the Planning Commission shall do all of the following, as applicable:
(1) Make careful and comprehensive surveys and studies of present conditions and future growth within the township, with due regard to its relation to neighboring jurisdictions.
(2) Consult with representatives of adjacent local units of government with respect to their planning so that conflicts in master plans and zoning may be avoided.
(3) Cooperate with all departments of the state and federal governments and other public agencies concerned with programs for economic, social, and physical development within the township, and seek the maximum coordination of the local unit of government's programs with these agencies.
(C) In preparing the master plan, the Planning Commission may meet with other governmental planning commissions or agency staff to deliberate.
(D) In general, the Planning Commission has such lawful powers as may be necessary to enable it to promote local planning and otherwise carry out the purposes of this act.
(E) A master plan shall address land use and infrastructure issues, and may project 20 years or more into the future. A master plan shall include maps, plats, charts, and descriptive, explanatory, and other related matter, and shall show the Planning Commission's recommendations for the physical development of the township.
(F) A master plan shall also include those of the following subjects that reasonably can be considered as pertinent to the future development of the township:
(1) A land use plan that consists in part of a classification and allocation of land for agriculture, residences, commerce, industry, recreation, ways and grounds, public buildings, schools, soil conservation, forests, woodlots, open space, wildlife refuges, and other uses and purposes.
(2) The general location, character and extent of streets, railroads, airports, bicycle paths, pedestrian ways, bridges, waterways, and waterfront developments; sanitary sewers and water supply systems; facilities for flood prevention, drainage, pollution prevention, and maintenance of water levels; and public utilities and structures.
(3) Recommendations as to the general character, extent, and layout of redevelopment or rehabilitation of blighted areas; and the removal, relocation, widening, narrowing, vacating, abandonment, change of use, or extension of streets, grounds, open spaces, buildings, utilities, or other facilities.
(4) A zoning plan for various zoning districts, controlling the height, area, bulk, location, and use of buildings and premises. The zoning plan shall include an explanation of how the land use categories on the future land use map relate to the districts on the zoning map.
(5) If the township’s master plan includes a master street plan, the means for implementing the master street plan in cooperation with the County Road Commission and the State Transportation Department shall be specified in the master street plan, in a manner consistent with the respective powers and duties of and any written agreements between these entities and the municipality.
(G) The Planning Commission may, by a majority vote of its members, adopt a subplan for a geographic area less than the entire planning jurisdiction, if, because of the unique physical characteristics of that area, more intensive planning is necessary.
(H) The master plan shall be adopted under the procedures set forth in this section and Public Act 33 of 2008. A master plan may be adopted as a whole, or by successive parts corresponding with major geographical areas of the township, or with functional subject matter areas of the master plan.
(I) Before preparing a master plan, the Planning Commission shall send to all of the following, by first-class mail or personal delivery, a notice explaining that the Planning Commission intends to prepare a master plan and requesting the recipient's cooperation and comment:
(1) To each municipality located within or contiguous to the local unit of government.
(2) To the County Planning Commission.
(3) To each public utility company and railroad company owning or operating a public utility or railroad within the local unit of government, and any government entity that registers its name and mailing address for this purpose with the Planning Commission.
(4) If the master plan includes a master street plan, the County Road Commission and the State Transportation Department.
(J) A submittal of the master plan to an entity described in division (I) above may be made by personal or first-class mail delivery of a hard copy or by electronic mail.
(1) However, the Planning Commission preparing the plan shall not make such submittals by electronic mail unless, in the notice described in division (I), the Planning Commission states that it intends to make such submittals by electronic mail, and the entity receiving that notice does not respond by objecting to the use of electronic mail.
(2) Electronic mail may contain a link to a website on which the submittal is posted, and which is accessible to the public free of charge.
(K) After preparing a proposed master plan, the Planning Commission shall submit the proposed master plan to the legislative body for review and comment. The process of adopting a master plan shall not proceed further unless the legislative body approves the distribution of the proposed master plan.
(L) If the Township Board approves the distribution of the proposed master plan, it shall notify the Secretary of the Planning Commission, who shall submit a copy of the proposed master plan, for review and comment, to all of the following:
(1) To each municipality located within or contiguous to the local unit of government.
(2) To the County Planning Commission.
(3) To each public utility company and railroad company owning or operating a public utility or railroad within the local unit of government, and any government entity that registers its name and mailing address for this purpose with the Planning Commission.
(4) If the master plan will include a master street plan, the County Road Commission and the State Transportation Department.
(M) Before approving a proposed master plan, the Planning Commission shall hold not less than 1 public hearing on the proposed master plan.
(1) The hearing shall be held after the expiration of the deadline for comments.
(2) The Planning Commission shall give notice of the time and place of the public hearing, not less than 15 days before the hearing, by publication in a newspaper of general circulation within the local unit of government.
(3) The Planning Commission shall also submit notice of the public hearing in the same manner to each entity described in division (I).
(N) The approval of the proposed master plan shall be by resolution of the Planning Commission, carried by the affirmative votes of not less than a majority of its members.
(1) The resolution shall refer expressly to the maps and descriptive and other matter intended by the Planning Commission to form the master plan.
(2) A statement recording the Planning Commission's approval of the master plan, signed by the Chairperson or Secretary of the Planning Commission, shall be included on the inside of the front or back cover of the master plan and, if the future land use map is a separate document from the text of the master plan, on the future land use map.
(3) Following approval of the proposed master plan by the Planning Commission, the Secretary of the Planning Commission shall submit a copy of the master plan to the legislative body.
(O) Approval of the proposed master plan by the Planning Commission is the final step for adoption of the master plan, unless the legislative body by resolution has asserted the right to approve or reject the master plan.
(1) In that case, after approval of the proposed master plan by the Planning Commission, the legislative body shall approve or reject the proposed master plan.
(2) A statement recording the legislative body's approval of the master plan, signed by the clerk of the legislative body, shall be included on the inside of the front or back cover of the master plan and, if the future land use map is a separate document from the text of the master plan, on the future land use map.
(P) If the legislative body rejects the proposed master plan, the legislative body shall submit to the Planning Commission a statement of its objections to the proposed master plan.
(1) The Planning Commission shall consider the legislative body's objections and revise the proposed master plan so as to address those objections.
(2) The procedures provided in these provisions shall be repeated until the legislative body approves the proposed master plan.
(Q) Upon final adoption of the master plan, the Secretary of the Planning Commission shall submit copies of the adopted master plan to the same entities to which copies of the proposed master plan were required to be submitted.
(R) An extension, addition, revision, or other amendment to a master plan shall be adopted by following the same procedure as approval for the original master plan, subject to all of the following:
(1) Any of the following amendments to a master plan may be made without following the same approval procedure for the master plan:
(a) A grammatical, typographical, or similar editorial change.
(b) A title change.
(c) A change to conform to an adopted plat.
(2) Subject to division (1), the review period shall be 42 days.
(3) When the Planning Commission sends notice to an entity that it intends to prepare a sub-plan, the notice may indicate that the local unit of government intends not to provide that entity with further notices or copies of proposed or final sub-plans otherwise required to be submitted to that entity. Unless the entity responds that it chooses to receive notice of sub-plans, the local unit of government is not required to provide further notice of sub-plans to that entity.
(S) At least every 5 years after adoption of the township's master plan, the Planning Commission shall review the master plan and determine whether to commence the procedure to amend the master plan or adopt a new master plan. The review and its findings shall be recorded in the minutes of the relevant meeting or meetings of the Planning Commission.
(T) Notwithstanding, the Planning Commission shall comply with the requirements of Public Act 33 of 2008.
(U) To promote public interest in, and understanding of, the township's master plan, the Planning Commission may publish and distribute copies of the master plan or of any report, and employ other means of publicity and education.
(V) The Township Planning Commission shall consult with and advise public officials and agencies, public utility companies, civic, educational, professional, and other organizations, and citizens concerning the promotion or implementation of the master plan.
(Ord. 174, passed 11-10-2008)