Michigan § 102.7 - Thoroughfares; grade changes, damage to property owner; compensation, assessment, procedure.

Whenever the grade of any street or sidewalk shall have been heretofore, or shall hereafter be established, and improvements shall thereafter be made by the owner or occupant of the adjacent property in conformity to such grade, such grade shall not be changed without compensation to the owner for all damages to such property resulting therefrom, to be ascertained by a jury as provided in chapter 25 of this act, or said damages may be ascertained and agreed upon by and between such city and the owner or occupant of such premises. Whenever such damage shall be ascertained or agreed upon as heretofore provided, such damages, or such part thereof as the council shall deem equitable and just, shall be paid by the city, or the council may cause such damages, or such part thereof as may be just and proper, to be assessed upon such real estate as may be benefited by reason of the change of such grade, and whenever the council shall determine to assess such damages, or any part thereof, upon the property benefited, it shall determine and define a district in said city which in its judgment is benefited by the improvement out of which said damages arise, and shall cause the same to be assessed upon such district, which said assessment shall be upon the owners or occupants of the taxable real estate in said district, in proportion as nearly as may be to the advantage or benefit each lot, parcel, or subdivision is deemed to acquire by the improvement out of which such damages arise, but the property on account of which such damages were awarded shall not be included in said district. The assessment shall be made, and the amount levied and collected in the same manner as other assessments on a district deemed to be benefited in the grading and improvement of streets, as provided for in this act; and all of the provisions of chapter 24 of this act, relative to special assessments and the collection thereof, shall apply thereto. Such damages, when collected as aforesaid, and when determined upon by said city, shall be paid to the person entitled thereto.