CO. PLANNING COMM.: SCHOOL MEMBER H.B. 5446 (H-1): FIRST ANALYSIS
House Bill 5446 (Substitute H-1 as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Representative Chris Ward
House Committee: Local Government and Urban Policy
Senate Committee: Local, Urban and State Affairs
Date Completed: 7-26-04
RATIONALE
School districts in Michigan are permitted to construct new buildings without seeking site plan approval from their local governments. Evidently, this often leads to the construction of schools in locations that may conflict with a community's master plan or require major infrastructure improvements from the community to accommodate the buildings. Some people believe that some of the planning issues related to school construction could be resolved by requiring that one member of a county planning commission be a school board member from a district within the county.
CONTENT
The bill would amend Public Act 282 of 1945, which provides for county planning commissions, to require the appointment of a public school board member or an administrative employee of a school district to a planning commission.
Under the Act, a county planning commission must consist of at least five but not more than 11 members, representing the economic, governmental, social, and developmental interests of the county. The county board of commissioners must establish the basis for representative membership on the commission. The bill would add "educational" to the interests that planning commission members may represent.
The bill would require the county board of commissioners to appoint to the county planning commission one member of a public school board or an administrative employee of a school district included, entirely or partly, within the county's boundaries. This appointment would have to be made upon the first vacancy occurring after the bill's effective date.
MCL 125.102
ARGUMENTS
(Please note: The arguments contained in this analysis originate from sources outside the Senate Fiscal Agency. The Senate Fiscal Agency neither supports nor opposes legislation.)
Supporting Argument
The addition of a school board member to Michigan's county planning commissions would promote a dialogue between the schools and county government on planning issues relating to school construction. This would help prevent situations in which school boards decide to build school buildings without addressing planning issues like traffic congestion and sidewalk construction. A board member on the county planning commission would help the board understand the systemic effects of school construction decisions within the community. The planning commission also would benefit from the input of the school board member in its long-term planning decisions.
Legislative Analyst: J.P. Finet
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
Fiscal Analyst: David ZinAnalysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. hb5446/0304