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16 U.S.C. § 460x–8Zoning bylaws

submitted 56 years ago by Pub. L. 91-479 to r/title-16-CONSERVATION · 869 words · no verdicts yet

in plain englishAI-generated · not legal advice

This section helps counties and townships near the Sleeping Bear Dunes Lakeshore write zoning rules that protect the area. If a local government adopts a zoning bylaw the Secretary approves, or a landowner agrees to follow similar rules, the Secretary generally can't seize that property through condemnation. The bylaw must ban most commercial and industrial use, require 50-foot street setbacks, and protect the natural scenery.

(a) Authority of Secretary to assist any township or county in or adjacent to lakeshore; payments for technical aid: If a township or county in or next to the lakeshore asks, the Secretary must help and consult with its officials on writing zoning bylaws for this subchapter's purposes. This help can include paying the local government for technical assistance. (b) Suspension of condemnation power over improved property: The Secretary cannot condemn improved property inside the designated lakeshore area as long as the local county or township has a valid, Secretary-approved zoning bylaw in force (meeting the standards in subsection (d)) and the property is used in a way that follows it. Even if the local government has no approved bylaw, the Secretary still can't condemn the property if the owner notifies the Secretary in writing of the owner's agreement to use the property consistently with the standards in subsection (d) — and that protection lasts for as long as the owner keeps using it that way. (c) Notification of owner by Secretary of use of property inconsistent with applicable bylaws or standards: If the Secretary decides that a property covered by an approved bylaw, or one covered by an owner's written agreement, is being used in a way that substantially breaks the bylaw or the agreed standards, the Secretary must notify the owner in writing, explaining in detail why. The owner then has 60 days after getting that notice to stop the noncompliant use. Stopping it within 60 days keeps the Secretary from condemning the property over that particular use. If the owner doesn't stop within 60 days, the Secretary may choose to condemn the property. (d) Conditions for approval by Secretary: The Secretary must approve a zoning bylaw or amendment if it includes all of these: (1) it helps prohibit commercial and industrial use of property in that county or township within the lakeshore's boundaries, except for the kinds of commercial uses that section 460x–12 of this title allows; (2) it fits this subchapter's goals, protecting the lakeshore's scenic and scientific value as much as Michigan law allows; (3) it protects the lakeshore's traditional character through limits on burning vegetation, cutting timber (except on land managed for sustained-yield forestry), removing sand or gravel, and dumping or storing junk or other unsightly items, or other uses that would spoil the natural or traditional lakeshore scene; (4) it bars any new construction, alteration, or enlargement of property — including improved property — that would leave less than a 50-foot setback from streets or less than a 25-foot distance from neighboring properties. Any owner or zoning authority may ask the Secretary whether a specific building plan would expose the property to condemnation, and the Secretary must answer in writing within 60 days; and (5) it ensures the Secretary is told about any variance or exception granted under the bylaw. (e) Withdrawal or revocation of approval by Secretary; retroactive effect: Once the Secretary approves a bylaw or amendment, that approval stays in place for as long as the bylaw remains in effect as approved — the Secretary can't take it back. And an approved bylaw or amendment can never be applied retroactively, to actions that happened before it was approved.
the actual law source: uscode.house.gov ↗public domain
(a) Authority of Secretary to assist any township or county in or adjacent to lakeshore; payments for technical aid

The Secretary shall, at the request of any township or county in or adjacent to the lakeshore affected by this subchapter, assist and consult with the appropriate officers and employees of such township or county in establishing zoning bylaws for the purpose of this subchapter. Such assistance may include payments to the county or township for technical aid.

(b) Suspension of condemnation power over improved property

No improved property within the area designated for inclusion in the lakeshore shall be acquired by the Secretary by condemnation so long as the affected county or township has in force and applicable thereto a duly adopted, valid zoning bylaw approved by the Secretary in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this section and the use of improved property is in compliance therewith. In the event that the affected county or township does not have in effect and applicable to any improved property a duly adopted, valid zoning bylaw so approved, the Secretary shall be prohibited from acquiring such property by condemnation, if the owner thereof notifies the Secretary in writing of such owner’s agreement to use his property in a manner consistent with the applicable standard set forth in subsection (d) of this section, and such prohibition against condemnation shall remain in effect for so long as such property is so used.

(c) Notification of owner by Secretary of use of property inconsistent with applicable bylaws or standards; requirements of notice; discontinuance of use by owner; condemnation upon failure to discontinue use

If the Secretary determines that any such property referred to in subsection (b) of this section covered by any such bylaw is being used in a way which is not in substantial compliance with such bylaw, or that any such property referred to in subsection (b) with respect to which an agreement has been made is being used in a manner which is not substantially consistent with such applicable standards, he shall so notify the owner of any such property in writing. Such notice shall contain a detailed statement as to why the Secretary believes that such use is not in substantial compliance with such zoning bylaw or why such use is not substantially consistent with such applicable standards, as the case may be. Any such owner shall have sixty days following the receipt by him of that written notification within which to discontinue the use referred to in such notification. Discontinuance of such use within such sixty-day period shall have the effect of prohibiting the Secretary from acquiring such property by condemnation by reason of such use. In any case in which such use is not discontinued within such sixty-day period, the Secretary may, in his discretion, acquire such property by condemnation.

(d) Conditions for approval by Secretary

Any zoning bylaw or amendment thereto submitted to the Secretary for approval for the purposes of this subchapter shall be approved by him if such bylaw or amendment contains provisions which—

(1)

contribute to the effect of prohibiting the commercial and industrial use (other than a use for a commercial purpose as authorized under section 460x–12 of this title) of all property within the boundaries of such area which is situated within the county or township adopting such bylaw or amendment;

(2)

are consistent with the objectives and purposes of this subchapter so that, to the extent possible under Michigan law, the scenic and scientific values of the lakeshore area will be protected;

(3)

are designed to preserve the lakeshore character of the area by appropriate restrictions upon the burning of cover, cutting of timber (except tracts managed for sustained yield), removal of sand or gravel, and dumping, storage, or piling of refuse and other unsightly objects or other uses which would detract from the natural or traditional lakeshore scene;

(4)

provide that no construction, reconstruction, moving, alteration, or enlargement of any property, including improved property as defined in this subchapter, within the lakeshore area shall be permitted, if such construction, reconstruction, moving, alteration, or enlargement would afford less than a fifty-foot setback from all streets measured at a right angle with the street line, and a twenty-five-foot distance from all contiguous properties. Any owner or zoning authority may request the Secretary of the Interior to determine whether a proposed move, alteration, construction, reconstruction, or enlargement of any such property would subject such property to acquisition by condemnation, and the Secretary, within sixty days of the receipt of such request, shall advise the owner or zoning authority in writing whether the intended use will subject the property to acquisition by condemnation; and

(5)

have the effect of providing that the Secretary shall receive notice of any variance granted under, and of any exception made to the application of, such bylaw or amendment.

(e) Withdrawal or revocation of approval by Secretary; retroactive effect

The approval of any bylaw or amendment pursuant to subsection (d) shall not be withdrawn or revoked by the Secretary for so long as such bylaw or amendment remains in effect as approved. Any such bylaw or amendment so approved shall not be retroactive in its application.

Source credit: (Pub. L. 91–479, § 9, Oct. 21, 1970, 84 Stat. 1078.)

history & why it existsrecord from the source credit
  • 1970Enacted · Pub. L. 91-479 · 84 Stat. 1078

A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by Pub. L. 91-479 on 1970-10-21.

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