Private Road

Here is a link to the currently adopted Township fee schedule for various applications and permits:

As required by our Zoning Ordinance No. 20-06 and the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act (Public Act 110 of 2006, as amended), a site plan must be approved upon determination by the approving body (Planning Commission or Zoning Administrator) that:

1. All required information for the type of site plan has been provided per Section 14.2.P (Required Site Plan Information) of the Township’s Zoning Ordinance No. 20-06;
2. The site plan satisfies all applicable standards for approval per Section 14.2.S (Standards for Site Plan Approval) of the Township’s Zoning Ordinance No. 20-06; and
3. The site plan conforms to all other applicable requirements and standards of the Zoning Ordinance and other Township ordinances, and is consistent with the policies of the Township’s adopted Master Plan and other adopted Township planning documents.

The non-refundable review fee for development and zoning-related applications is intended to help cover at least part of the Township’s fixed costs for processing the application and anticipated staff time needed to review and respond to the application.

The refundable escrow deposit amount is intended to be sufficient to cover the Township’s variable costs associated with the application, which can include preparation, publication, and mailing of any required public hearing notices, and the costs of any professional consultations (land use planning, engineering, legal services, etc.) determined necessary for a complete review of the application.

The refundable escrow deposit amount is used to cover the Township’s variable costs associated with an application, which can include preparation, publication, and mailing of any required public hearing notices, and the costs of any professional consultations (land use planning, engineering, legal services, etc.) determined necessary for a complete review of the application.

Following completion of the application review process and recording of all associated charges against the deposited funds as described above, any remaining balance of the escrow deposit will be refunded by check mailed to the applicant.  For site plan approval projects, this refund is typically processed following completion of the associated construction.  For other applications, this refund is typically processed for check authorization by our Board of Trustees within 65 days of the conclusion of the application review process.

Construction of a private road can reduce the cost of development as compared in some cases to development of new public roads.  A private road option also provides landowners with the ability to make more efficient use of their land in cases where construction of a new public road is not possible, and may allow in some circumstances for establishment of additional lots under the Land Division Act (Public Act 288 of 1967, as amended).

The current Private Road Ordinance No. 24-01 (ADD LINK) was also established by our Board of Trustees to establish minimum safety standards for maintenance of existing private roads and shared driveways to ensure that emergency vehicles and utility company equipment have safe and unobstructed access to all lots on a private road at all times.