MSU Extension Planning

Check List #1F: What Should be in a Master Plan

Presents a couple of ways to look at what should be the content of a Master Plan in Michigan. The checklist follows “best planning practice” as reflected by the guidelines adopted by the law committee of the Michigan Association of Planning as well as to comply with the Michigan Planning Enabling Act of 2008, superceding the old acts as of September 1, 2008.

Content of a Plan.

Check List #1G: Adoption of a Plan in Michigan

Presents a chronological step-by-step checklist to walk a county, village and city, or township through the process of adopting a plan in Michigan. The checklist follows Michigan Planning Enabling Act of 2008 (and Michigan Zoning Enabling Act of 2006, as amended,) statutory requirements, superceding the old acts as of September 1, 2008.

Adoption of a Plan in Michigan.

Check List #1H: The Five Year Plan Review

Once a plan is over five years old, it needs to be reviewed to determine if it should be replaced or not. This document presents a chronological step-by-step checklist to walk a county, village and city, or township through the process of assessing its existing plan. It includes some criteria for making that assessment. Next it walks through the process of deciding if the plan should be replaced with a new one, amended/updated, or does not need modification. The checklist follows Michigan Planning Enabling Act of 2008 statutory requirements, superceding the old acts as of September 1, 2008.

The Five Year Plan Review.

Check List #1I: Adoption of an Amendment to a Plan

Presents a chronological step-by-step checklist to walk a county, village and city, or township through the process of adopting a plan amendment in Michigan. The checklist follows Michigan Planning Enabling Act of 2008 (and Michigan Zoning Enabling Act of 2006, as amended,) statutory requirements, superceding the old acts as of September 1, 2008.

Adoption of an Amendment to a Plan.

Check List #1J: Adopting and Updating a Capital Improvement Program

Presents a chronological step-by-step checklist to walk a county, village and city, or township through the process of adopting an capital improvement program in Michigan. The checklist follows Michigan Planning Enabling Act of 2008 statutory requirements, superceding the old acts as of September 1, 2008. 

Adopting and Updating a Capital Improvement Program.

Check List #1K: Review of Infrastructure/Public Capital Expenditure

This document presents a chronological step-by-step checklist to walk a county, village and city, or township through the process of reviewing proposed infrastructure and capital expenditures. It includes some criteria for making that assessment. The checklist follows Michigan Planning Enabling Act of 2008 statutory requirements, superceding the old acts as of September 1, 2008.

Review of Infrastructure/Public Capital Expenditure.

Check List #1L: Adoption of a Subdivision Ordinance Governing the Subdivision of Land in Michigan

This document presents a chronological step-by-step checklist to walk a county, village and city, or township through the process of adopting a Subdivision Ordinance, or rules. The checklist follows Michigan Planning Enabling Act of 2008 statutory requirements, superceding the old acts as of September 1, 2008.

Adoption of a Subdivision Ordinance Governing the Subdivision of Land in Michigan.

Planning Under Michigan Planning Enabling Acts: The Wexford County Example

In 2001, for the first time in decades, major amendments were made to Michigan's Planning Enabling Acts. Those changes were retained in the 2008 Michigan Planning Enabling Act. This bulletin will summarize the new statutory process, and provide additional suggestions reflecting state-of-the-art public participation for communities to do planning with a high degree of coordination and public involvement.  The new statutory requirements can be made into a major advantage for a community doing planning. Wexford County was one of the first counties to prepare a new plan under the new statute requirements.  MSU Extension and Extension Victor Institute for Land Use and Development, with a grant from the United States Forest Service, used the Wexford Planning process for research and to assist the county in working with the new procedures to the county's advantage.  This bulletin also shares that experience and research to help others learn what worked well.

Planning Under Michigan Planning Enabling Acts: The Wexford County Example.

Michigan Planning Guidebook: for Citizens and Local Officials

The Michigan Planning Guidebook (updated December 2017) describes the roles and responsibilities of the planning commission and legislative body, creation, organization, and operation of the planning commission, statutory requirements and best practices associated with the master plan, capital improvement programs, and the role of the planning commission in subdivision regulations. It is written to reflect the requirements of the Michigan Planning Enabling Act, Public Act 33 of 2008, as amended through 2017.

Michigan Planning Guidebook: for Citizens and Local Officials