ELDER-FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES S.B. 1327, 1331 (S-1), & 1332 (S-1):
FLOOR SUMMARY
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Senate Bill 1327 (as reported without amendment)
Senate Bill 1331 (Substitute S-1 as reported)
Senate Bill 1332 (Substitute S-1 as reported)
Sponsor: Senator Jason E. Allen (S.B. 1327)
Senator Alan L. Cropsey (S.B. 1331)
Senator Jim Barcia (S.B. 1332)
Committee: Senior Citizens and Veterans Affairs
CONTENT
Senate Bill 1327 would amend the downtown development authority (DDA) Act to allow a DDA board to develop and promote elder-friendly communities. The Act allows cities, villages, and townships to form downtown development authorities in order to fund improvements to their business districts, and provides for the powers and duties of DDA boards. An authority may finance its activities by various methods, including tax increment financing.
Among other things, a DDA board may plan and propose the construction, renovation, or rehabilitation of a public facility that may aid in the economic growth of the downtown district. Under the bill, a DDA board also could create, operate, and fund marketing incentives and a loan program to fund the development of elder-friendly communities in the downtown district. The board could make loans, with interest, at a below-market rate. "Elder-friendly community" would mean mixed use and residential housing that is designed and developed to be desirable to senior citizens, as determined by the DDA board.
Senate Bill 1331 (S-1) would amend the Michigan Planning Enabling Act to include consideration of the needs of senior citizens in the criteria for the general purpose of a master plan. The Act requires a planning commission to make and approve a master plan as a guide for development within the commission's planning jurisdiction. The Act specifies that the general purpose of a master plan is to guide and accomplish, in the planning jurisdiction and its environs, development that satisfies certain criteria. Under the bill, one criterion would be that the master plan consider the needs of senior citizens.
Senate Bill 1332 (S-1) would amend the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act to include achieving development that considered the needs of senior citizens in the factors a plan must be designed to promote. The Act requires a zoning ordinance to be based upon a plan designed to accomplish certain purposes, such as promoting public health, safety, and general welfare. Under the bill, a plan also would have to be designed to achieve development that considered the needs of senior citizens.
Both Senate Bills 1331 (S-1) and 1332 (S-1) would define "senior citizen" as an individual who is at least 65 years old.
MCL 125.1657 (S.B. 1327) Legislative Analyst: Patrick Affholter
125.3803 & 125.3807 (S.B. 1331)
125.3102 & 125.3203 (S.B. 1332)
FISCAL IMPACT
To the extent that Senate Bill 1327 led to a higher level of investment in elder-friendly facilities than would otherwise occur, the taxes captured by a downtown development authority would represent a potential revenue loss to the general government jurisdictions in that district. Potential lost revenue would include all local property taxes as well as school operating taxes. The State also would potentially incur increased expenditures due to the need to replace lost school operating property taxes.
Senate Bills 1331 (S-1) and 1332 (S-2) would likely have no impact on State or local revenue or expenses. Planning commissions already must develop plans and consider various factors. Given that local units already are allowed to consider the factors the bills would require to be considered, and that the bills would not mandate any specific actions subsequent to consideration as part of the master plan, the bills would likely have a limited fiscal impact, if any.
Date Completed: 9-16-10 Fiscal Analyst: Eric Scorsone
David Zin
Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb1327etal./0910