The purpose of this Part
1 is to carry out the provisions of Public Act No. 288 of 1967 (MCLA § 560.101 et seq.) and to regulate and control the subdivision of land within the Township, in order to promote the safety, public health and general welfare of the community. These regulations are specifically designed to:
A. Provide for regulated and harmonious development of the community,
consistent with orderly growth policies of the Township Master Plan.
B. Secure adequate traffic circulation through coordinated street systems
with proper relation to major thoroughfares, adjoining subdivisions,
and public facilities.
C. Achieve individual property lots of maximum utility and livability.
D. Ensure adequate provisions for water, drainage, sanitary facilities,
other health requirements, and improvements required herein.
This Part
1 is enacted pursuant to Public Act No. 288 of 1967 (MCLA § 560.101 et seq.) and Public Act No. 33 of 2008 (MCLA § 125.3801 et seq.), the Michigan Planning Enabling Act.
This Part 1 shall not apply to any lot or lots forming a part
of a subdivision created and recorded prior to the effective date
of the ordinance from which this Part 1 is derived, except for the
further dividing of lots. Nor is it intended by this Part 1 to repeal,
abrogate, annul, or in any way impair or interfere with existing provisions
of other laws, ordinances or regulations or with private restrictions
placed upon property by deed, covenant, or other private agreements,
or with restrictive covenants running with the land to which the Township
is a party. Where this Part 1 imposes a greater restriction upon land
than is imposed or required by such existing provision of any other
ordinance of this Township, the provisions of this Part 1 shall control.
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this Part
1, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning. The word "shall" is always mandatory and not merely directory.
EASEMENT
A quantity of land set aside or over which a liberty, privilege
or advantage is granted by the owner to the public, a corporation,
or some particular person or part of the public for specific uses
and purposes, and shall be designated a "public" or "private" easement
depending on the nature of the user.
FLOODPLAIN
The relatively flat areas or low lands adjoining the channel or watercourse or a body of water which has been or may be covered by floodwater when high amounts of precipitation are experienced, as established pursuant to Chapter
210, Floodplain and Wetlands Protection, of the Code of the Charter Township of Oakland.
IMPROVEMENTS
Grading, street surfacing, curb and gutter, sidewalks, crosswalks,
water mains and lines, sanitary sewers, storm sewers, culverts, bridges,
utilities, trees and landscaping, impoundments, and other additions
to the natural state of land which increases its value, utility or
habitability.
LOT
A measured portion of a parcel or tract of land, which is
described and fixed in a recorded plat.
A.
LOT DEPTHThe horizontal distance between the front and rear lot lines, measured along the median between the side lot lines.
B.
LOT WIDTHThe horizontal distance between the side lot lines measured at the setback line and at right angles to the lot depth.
MASTER PLAN
The comprehensive development regulation plan for the Township
including graphic and written proposals indicating the general locations
recommended for the streets, parks, schools, public buildings, zoning
districts, and all physical developments of the Township and includes
any unit or part of such plan separately adopted, and any amendments
to such plan or parts thereof duly adopted by the Planning Commission.
OUTLOT
When included within the boundary of a recorded plat, means
a lot set aside for purposes other than a development site, park or
other land dedicated to public use or reserved to private use.
PARCEL
A continuous area or acreage of land which can be described
as provided for in the Land Division Act.
PLAT
A map or chart of a subdivision of land.
A.
PRELIMINARY PLATA map indicating the proposed layout of the subdivision in sufficient detail to provide adequate basis for review and to meet the requirements and procedures set forth in this Part 1.
B.
FINAL PLATA map on approved material of all or part of a subdivision providing substantial conformance to the preliminary plat of the subdivision prepared in conformance with the requirements of the Land Division Act and this Part 1, and suitable for recording by the County Register of Deeds.
PROPRIETOR
A natural person, firm, association, partnership, corporation
or combination of any of them which may hold any recorded or unrecorded
ownership interest in the land. The proprietor is also commonly referred
to as the "owner."
PUBLIC OPEN SPACE
Land dedicated or reserved for use by the general public.
Public open space includes parks, parkways, recreation areas, public
school sites, community or public building sites, streets and highways
and public parking spaces.
PUBLIC WALKWAY
A dedicated public right-of-way for the purpose of pedestrian
access.
RIGHT-OF-WAY
Land reserved, used, or to be used for a street, walkway,
or other public purposes.
SCENIC EASEMENT
The legal right, dedicated to the Township government, to
control the use of certain lands to protect the scenic view.
STREET
Any street, avenue, boulevard, road, lane, parkway, viaduct,
alley or other way which is an existing state, county, or municipal
roadway; or, a street or way shown in a plat heretofore approved pursuant
to law or approved by official action; or a street or way on a plat
duly filed and recorded in the office of the County Register of Deeds.
A street includes the land between the street lines, whether improved
or unimproved, and may comprise pavement, gutters, shoulders, sidewalks,
parking areas, and lawns.
A.
BOULEVARD STREETA street developed to two two-lane one-way pavements separated by a median.
B.
COLLECTOR STREETA street within a neighborhood used primarily to carry traffic from minor streets to major thoroughfares, including principal entrance streets to a residential development.
C.
CUL-DE-SAC STREETA short minor street having one end permanently terminated by a vehicular turnaround.
D.
MAJOR THOROUGHFAREAn arterial street of great continuity which is intended to serve as a large volume trafficway for both the immediate municipality area and region beyond, and may be designated in the Township's major thoroughfare plan as a major thoroughfare, parkway, expressway, or equivalent terms to identify those streets comprising the basic structure of the street plan.
E.
MARGINAL ACCESS STREETA minor street paralleling and adjacent to a major thoroughfare which provides access to abutting properties and protection from through traffic.
F.
TURNAROUNDA short boulevard street, permanently terminated by a vehicular turnaround.
SUBDIVIDE or SUBDIVISION
The partitioning or splitting of a parcel or tract of land
by the proprietor thereof or by his heirs, executors, administrators,
legal representatives, successors, or assigns for the purpose of sale,
or lease of more than one year, or of building development that results
in one or more parcels of less than 40 acres or the equivalent, and
that is not exempted from the platting requirements of Sections 108
and 109 of the Land Division Act (MCLA §§ 560.108,
560.109). The term "subdivide" or "subdivision" does not include a
property transfer between two or more adjacent parcels, if the property
taken from one parcel is added to an adjacent parcel; and any resulting
parcel shall not be considered a building site unless the parcel conforms
to the requirements of the Land Division Act or the requirements of
an applicable local ordinance.
TRACT
Two or more parcels that share a common property line and
are under the same ownership.
The approvals required under the provisions of this Part 1 shall
be obtained prior to the installation of any subdivision or project
improvements within the Township, in public alleys, public rights-of-way,
and public easements, and/or under the ultimate jurisdiction of the
Township. All subdivision or project improvements within the Township
installed in public streets, public alleys, public rights-of-way or
public easements, or under the ultimate jurisdiction of the Township,
shall comply with all the provisions and requirements of this or any
related ordinance.
The Township Board may authorize a variance from the regulations
when, in its opinion, undue hardship may result from strict compliance.
In making its findings, as required herein below, the Township Board
shall take into account the nature of the proposed use of land and
the existing use of land in the vicinity, the number of persons to
reside or work in the proposed subdivision, and the probable effect
of the proposed subdivision upon traffic conditions in the vicinity.
No variance shall be granted unless the Township Board makes one or
more of the following findings:
A. That there are special circumstances or conditions affecting said
property such that the strict application of this Part 1 would deprive
the applicant of the reasonable use of his land.
B. That the variance is necessary for the preservation and enjoyment
of a substantial property right of the petitioner.
C. That the granting of the variance will not be detrimental to the
public welfare or injurious to other property or territory in which
said property is situated.
[Amended 6-8-1999 by Ord. No. 81]
Any person, firm or corporation or anyone acting on behalf of said person, firm or corporation who shall violate the provisions of this Part
1 shall be responsible for a municipal civil infraction, and subject to a civil fine as set forth in Chapter
1, Article
I, Definitions; General Penalty, of the Code of the Charter Township of Oakland. In addition to ordering a person determined to be responsible for a municipal civil infraction to pay a civil fine, costs, damages and expenses, the judge or magistrate shall be authorized to issue a judgment, writ or order necessary to enforce or enjoin violation of the ordinance. Each day that a violation is permitted to exist shall constitute a separate violation.