(1) A charter township existing on June 15, 1978, or a township incorporated after June 15, 1978, as a charter township that complies with the following standard, is exempt from annexation to any contiguous city or village except as provided in subsections (2) to (8):
(a) Has a state equalized valuation of not less than $25,000,000.00.
(b) Has a minimum population density of 150 persons per square mile to be determined by the secretary of state by dividing the most recent regular or special census of population by the number of square miles then under the jurisdiction of the charter township not to include the population or territory within the jurisdiction of an incorporated village.
(c) Provides fire protection service by contract or otherwise.
(d) Is governed by a comprehensive zoning ordinance or master plan.
(e) Provides solid waste disposal services to township residents, within or without the township, by contract, license, or municipal ownership.
(f) Provides water or sewer services, or both, by contract or otherwise.
(g) Provides police protection through contract with the sheriff in addition to normal sheriff patrol, through an intergovernmental contract, or through its own police department.
(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), the State boundary commission may, under procedures initiated and conducted pursuant to section 9 of Act No. 279 of the Public Acts of 1909, being Section 117.9 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, order a portion or portions of a charter township to be annexed as necessary to eliminate free standing islands of the township completely surrounded by an annexing city, or to straighten or to align the exterior boundaries of the city or village in a manner that the charter township and city or village contain uniform straight boundaries wherever possible.
(3) Notwithstanding subsection (1), a portion of a charter township which charter township is contiguous on all sides with a city or village may be annexed by that city or village with the approval of a majority of the electors in that portion of a charter township.
(4) Notwithstanding subsection (1), if a qualified elector does not reside in the territory proposed to be annexed which is contiguous to the city or village, other than the 1 or more persons petitioning, or if a petition signed by 1 or more persons, firms, corporations, the United States government, or the state or any of its subdivisions which collectively hold the equitable title as vendee under a recorded land contract or memorandum of land contract, or recorded legal title to more than 1/2 of the area of the land in the territory to be annexed is filed with the city or village and with the township board of the charter township in which the territory is situated, the annexation may be accomplished by the affirmative majority vote of the city council or village board of the city or village and the approval of the charter township board of the township.
(5) Notwithstanding subsections (1) and (3), a portion of a charter township contiguous to a city or village may be annexed to that city or village upon the filing of a petition with the county clerk which petition is signed by 20% of the registered electors in the area to be annexed and approval by a majority of the qualified and registered electors voting on the question in the city or village to which the portion is to be annexed, and the portion of the township which is to be annexed, with the vote in each unit to be counted separately.
(6) If a petition is filed pursuant to subsection (5), the county clerk, after determining the validity of the petition, shall order a referendum on the question of annexation. This referendum shall occur within 1 year after the validation of the petitions. The referendum shall be held at the first primary or general election held in that county not less than 60 days after the validation of the petition, or under section 639 of the Michigan election law, Act No. 116 of the Public Acts of 1954, as amended, being Section 168.639 of the Michigan Compiled Laws.
(7) A village having a population of 4,200 or more shall not be annexed to a contiguous unit of government unless a majority of the qualified and registered electors residing within the village vote in favor of the annexation at an election held pursuant to the Michigan election law, Act No. 116 of the Public Acts of 1954, as amended, being sections 168.1 to 168.992 of the Michigan Compiled Laws.
(8) The common boundary of a charter township and a city or village may be adjusted by resolution approved by a majority of each of the respective governing bodies after the governing bodies give 90 days’ notice to property owners in the area proposed for the boundary adjustment, and the governing bodies conduct a public hearing on the proposed boundary adjustment.