Commitment to Work
Together: We recognize the need for managing
growth and development within our local area. We seek to avoid destructive
competition for tax base and we promote rational, regional coordination
of recreation, transportation, public services, housing and other community
institutions. We encourage and assist economic development and protection
of our environment for the general benefit of our residents. We
understand that this involves a long term strategy and is based
upon our realization that our local units of government are "mutually
interdependent."
To that end we make a commitment to cooperation that concentrates on
our
"mutual benefit" and we hereby express our policy that all
land transfers should only be by mutual consent of the municipal parties
involved.
In our efforts to seek alternatives
and find solutions to resolving land transfer conflicts, we will consider
the needs of both townships and cities. We will attempt to preserve
our "quality of life," maintain our local identity and efficiently
and equitably provide public utilities and services. Our efforts will
also include the pursuit of policies that help reduce the incentives
for land owners to transfer jurisdictional control. With these thoughts
in mind, we hereby agree and commit to the following principles when
faced with a request to transfer land from one jurisdiction to an adjacent
jurisdiction (herein known as a land transfer).
Commitment to Joint
Planning:
We encourage our local units to:
Jointly identify geographic areas across
municipal boundaries and establish "spheres of influence" which
indicate areas that may be considered for transfer in the future,
or at the time urban development is proposed. Spheres of influence
should be considered for a minimum 10-year period, subject to periodic
review coincident with comprehensive general plan revisions.
Prepare a joint master
land use plan for area(s) identified, including uses, densities,
green spaces, public facilities.
Prepare a joint utility master plan (at least
trunk sewers and water transmission mains), including phasing.
Prepare
a joint transportation master plan (at least major streets).
Insure
that the Master Plan covers those areas inside and contiguous
to but outside the identified areas.
Jointly adopt special zoning categories
as needed.
Commitment to Joint Decision Making:
Within each "sphere of influence," an
agreement should be adopted among the affected local units to establish
how development applications within these areas will be handled.
The agreement should include:
A commitment to review development standards
to assure that they are consistent and subject to
the same interpretation
A commitment to include representatives of all
affected jurisdictions in pre-application conferences
with developers
Established procedures for if and when a land transfer
should take place
Established standards for tax-sharing agreements,
including an agreement on financing, revenue and expense
sharing.
The agreement should also specify which governmental unit will
approve development projects (or will it be a joint approval
process ?)
Commitment to Joint
Development Policy Agreements:
All urban development should be encouraged to be within areas
where urban services will be provided.
New development will not adversely
affect existing developed areas.
Standards for new development will
be consistent with those of the adjacent areas.
Priority will be
given to developing vacant or underused land within existing
city limits prior to an extension of development outside, unless
needs for housing and economic vitality require development
at a scale that is difficult to accomplish on an infill basis.
No boundary adjustments
will occur until inside area is developed as per master plans,
including meeting minimum densities, and utility phasing as
per utility master plans.
"Leapfrog" development will not be allowed within
an established area unless utility master plans allow for same. "Leapfrog" development
will be discouraged in all cases.
Plans developed locally
should take into consideration the regional planning concepts
and policies, including those concepts as described in the
Metropolitan Development Blueprint.
Commitment to use the following criteria to evaluate proposed
land transfers:
The land is within a jointly pre-identified area.
The capacities of
agencies which provide such services as water, sewer,
police, fire, transportation, solid waste disposal, parks,
and schools are adequate or can be expanded to support the
proposed development. The proposed transfer of jurisdiction
will not adversely affect any governmental unit's capacity
to provide such services, either financially or operationally.
The land within incorporated areas is unsuitable or
insufficient to meet current land use needs.
The land is a logical
extension of an existing developed community.
The land is not under
an agricultural preserve or open space contract.
The quality of the
development proposed for the area to be transferred will
enhance the existing community.
Commitment to promote
development agreements with either impact fees or special assessment
districts to help pay for the costs of infrastructure needed to
serve new development.
Commitment to periodic
joint review of planning areas, principles and standards among/between
jurisdictions will be encouraged. Regional plans and planning
concepts, including those contained in the Metropolitan Development
Blueprint, shall be considered when local planning reviews occur.
Commitment
to seek mediation when conflicts are not resolved by the processes
outlined herein.
Mediation may be provided by the Grand Valley Metropolitan
Council and should be sought out prior to any submission to the
State of Michigan Boundary Commission and prior to any legal action
being commenced.
We also hereby acknowledge that
the best decisions are those that have been mutually approved by the
parties and provide mutual benefit. We are fully aware that the
processes outlined within this policy are designed to bring about
a mutually agreed upon result. By making use of the processes
outlined herein there may be a variety of agreements that could
result. These agreements could include, but not be limited to,
mutual land transfers, agreements under various statutes such
as PA. 425, PA. 7, PA. 108, common master plan language, or some
other agreement. The intention of this policy is to bring each
affected party into a discussion and to have those parties arrive
at an agreement fully acceptable to each party. To this end we
make a commitment to the principles included within this policy.
