HOUSE BILL No. 4463

 

March 14, 2007, Introduced by Reps. Gillard, Sheltrown, Ball, Ward, Mayes, Farrah and Steil and referred to the Committee on Tourism, Outdoor Recreation and Natural Resources.

 

     A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled

 

"Natural resources and environmental protection act,"

 

by amending section 30106 (MCL 324.30106), as added by 1995 PA 59,

 

and by adding section 30106a.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 30106. (1) The Subject to subsection (2), the department

 

shall issue a permit if it finds that the structure or project will

 

not adversely affect the public trust or riparian rights. In

 

passing upon an application, the department shall consider the

 

possible effects of the proposed action upon the inland lake or

 

stream and upon waters from which or into which its waters flow and

 

the uses of all such waters, including uses for recreation, fish

 


and wildlife, aesthetics, local government, agriculture, commerce,

 

and industry. The department shall not grant a permit if the

 

proposed project or structure will unlawfully impair or destroy any

 

of the waters or other natural resources of the state. This part

 

does not modify the rights and responsibilities of any riparian

 

owner to the use of his or her riparian water. A permit shall

 

specify that a project completed in accordance with this part shall

 

not cause unlawful pollution as defined by part 31.

 

     (2) The department shall issue a permit under this part for a

 

marina if all of the following conditions are met:

 

     (a) The applicant is a local unit of government and the

 

location of the marina is a road end under the jurisdiction of the

 

local unit of government that provides public access to an inland

 

lake or stream.

 

     (b) The local unit of government is applying for the marina

 

permit for the purpose of constructing, installing, or maintaining

 

a seasonal dock.

 

     (c) The local unit of government has adopted an ordinance in

 

compliance with section 30106a.

 

     Sec. 30106a. (1) A local unit of government may adopt an

 

ordinance that, subject to the permit requirement under section

 

30106, authorizes a marina at a road end under the jurisdiction of

 

the local unit of government.

 

     (2) An ordinance adopted under subsection (1) shall provide

 

for all of the following:

 

     (a) Not more than 1 nonexclusive public dock shall be allowed

 

at the end of any public lateral road.

 


     (b) The local unit of government shall specify the exact

 

location of the dock to ensure that the dock remains within the

 

right-of-way of the road as extended into the waters of the inland

 

lake or stream and does not encroach onto or over the riparian

 

bottomland of adjacent property.

 

     (c) The dock shall not be installed prior to May 1 and shall

 

be removed not later than September 30 of each year.

 

     (d) The dock shall not exceed 250 feet in length.

 

     (e) The dock shall be not more than 4 feet in width or the

 

width required by state or federal law, whichever is greater.

 

     (f) The dock shall be constructed with an inverted "L" or a

 

"T" design at the end of the dock to allow access for law

 

enforcement or emergency personnel.

 

     (g) The length of the dock shall not unreasonably interfere

 

with the safety and navigability of the waters of the inland lake

 

or stream.

 

     (h) The augering or driving of any boat mooring post or the

 

placement of any permanent or seasonal boat anchoring device, other

 

than a permitted boat hoist, within the area of any public lateral

 

road as extended into the inland lake or stream shall be

 

prohibited.

 

     (i) The construction, installation, or maintenance of boat

 

hoists on the road end and in the adjacent waters to establish

 

seasonal overnight mooring or docking of unoccupied vessels,

 

including, but not limited to, all of the following requirements:

 

     (i) Lateral road-end hoists shall be placed in a uniform

 

straight line running away from and parallel to the shoreline in

 


such a manner as to assure that the hoist and associated moored

 

watercraft remain within the right-of-way of the public road as

 

extended into the waters of the inland lake or stream. The

 

ordinance shall require that, when moored in its hoist, a

 

watercraft not encroach onto or over the riparian bottomland of

 

adjacent property.

 

     (ii) Lateral road-end hoists shall be placed a minimum of 20

 

feet offshore and shall not unreasonably interfere with the

 

ingress, egress, safety, and navigability of the waters of the

 

inland lake or stream. A hoist shall not be located farther than

 

200 feet offshore.

 

     (iii) Boat hoists shall not be placed along the lakeward edge of

 

the inverted "L" or "T" at the end of the dock.

 

     (j) A lateral road terminating at the water's edge of the

 

inland lake or stream shall not be altered, improved, or maintained

 

in any manner without first obtaining any applicable land use

 

permit from the local unit of government on the desired activity.

 

The provisions may require that additional permits be obtained from

 

the county road commission or drain commission.

 

     (k) Provisions for violations consistent with subsection (4).

 

     (3) An ordinance adopted under subsection (1) may include the

 

following:

 

     (a) Provisions for the marina to be subcontracted from the

 

local unit of government to a local neighborhood association or

 

civic group.

 

     (b) Provisions that any individual or group of individuals

 

subcontracted by the local unit of government to construct,

 


install, maintain, operate, and remove a dock according to the

 

ordinance assumes any liability for the dock and spurs or hoists if

 

attached and agrees by the erection of the dock to hold the local

 

unit of government and its officials harmless from any liability

 

for the dock.

 

     (c) A requirement that any individual or group of individuals

 

erecting a dock according to the ordinance shall, before receiving

 

a permit and installing the dock, provide to the clerk of the local

 

unit of government proof of liability insurance in an amount of at

 

least $1,000,000.00 per incident, with the local unit of government

 

named as an additional insured.

 

     (d) A provision designating a violation of the ordinance as a

 

municipal civil infraction subject to a civil fine of not more than

 

$500.00.