Michigan § 125.3601 - Zoning board of appeals; appointment; procedural rules; membership; composition; alternate member; per diem; expenses; removal; terms of office; vacancies; conduct of meetings; conflict of interest.

(1) A zoning ordinance shall create a zoning board of appeals. A zoning board of appeals in existence on June 30, 2006 may continue to act as the zoning board of appeals subject to this act. Subject to subsection (2), members of a zoning board of appeals shall be appointed by majority vote of the members of the legislative body serving.

(2) The legislative body of a city or village may act as a zoning board of appeals and may establish rules to govern its procedure as a zoning board of appeals.

(3) A zoning board of appeals shall be composed of not fewer than 5 members if the local unit of government has a population of 5,000 or more or not fewer than 3 members if the local unit of government has a population of less than 5,000. The number of members of the zoning board of appeals shall be specified in the zoning ordinance.

(4) In a county or township, 1 of the regular members of the zoning board of appeals shall be a member of the zoning commission, or of the planning commission if the planning commission is functioning as the zoning commission. In a city or village, 1 of the regular members of the zoning board of appeals may be a member of the zoning commission, or of the planning commission if the planning commission is functioning as the zoning commission, unless the legislative body acts as the zoning board of appeals under subsection (2). A decision made by a city or village zoning board of appeals before February 29, 2008 is not invalidated by the failure of the zoning board of appeals to include a member of the city or village zoning commission or planning commission, as was required by this subsection before that date.

(5) The remaining regular members of a zoning board of appeals, and any alternate members under subsection (7), shall be selected from the electors of the local unit of government residing within the zoning jurisdiction of that local unit of government or, in the case of a county, residing within the county but outside of any city or village. The members selected shall be representative of the population distribution and of the various interests present in the local unit of government.

(6) Subject to subsection (2), 1 regular or alternate member of a zoning board of appeals may be a member of the legislative body. Such a member shall not serve as chairperson of the zoning board of appeals. An employee or contractor of the legislative body may not serve as a member of the zoning board of appeals.

(7) The legislative body may appoint to the zoning board of appeals not more than 2 alternate members for the same term as regular members. An alternate member may be called as specified in the zoning ordinance to serve as a member of the zoning board of appeals in the absence of a regular member if the regular member will be unable to attend 1 or more meetings. An alternate member may also be called to serve as a member for the purpose of reaching a decision on a case in which the member has abstained for reasons of conflict of interest. The alternate member appointed shall serve in the case until a final decision is made. An alternate member serving on the zoning board of appeals has the same voting rights as a regular member.

(8) A member of the zoning board of appeals may be paid a reasonable per diem and reimbursed for expenses actually incurred in the discharge of his or her duties.

(9) A member of the zoning board of appeals may be removed by the legislative body for misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance in office upon written charges and after a public hearing. A member shall disqualify himself or herself from a vote in which the member has a conflict of interest. Failure of a member to disqualify himself or herself from a vote in which the member has a conflict of interest constitutes malfeasance in office.

(10) The terms of office for an appointed member of the zoning board of appeals shall be 3 years, except for a member serving because of his or her membership on the zoning commission or legislative body, whose term shall be limited to the time he or she is a member of that body. When members are first appointed, appointments may be for less than 3 years to provide for staggered terms. A successor shall be appointed not more than 1 month after the term of the preceding member has expired.

(11) A vacancy on the zoning board of appeals shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment.

(12) A zoning board of appeals shall not conduct business unless a majority of the regular members of the zoning board of appeals are present.

(13) A member of the zoning board of appeals who is also a member of the zoning commission, the planning commission, or the legislative body shall not participate in a public hearing on or vote on the same matter that the member voted on as a member of the zoning commission, the planning commission, or the legislative body. However, the member may consider and vote on other unrelated matters involving the same property.