The bill amends the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act by adding a new section, 517, which establishes regulations for the construction of duplexes. Under this new provision, duplexes are permitted in any district where single-family residences are allowed, and they must adhere to the same permitting procedures. Local governments are prohibited from imposing bulk or size requirements that would hinder the construction of duplexes with a minimum of 1,000 square feet of habitable floor space per unit. Additionally, the bill restricts local units from requiring more than one parking space per residential unit and from imposing design or aesthetic requirements that are more stringent than those for single-family homes.

The bill also clarifies definitions within the act, including the addition of a definition for "duplex" and the removal of outdated terms. It emphasizes that while local governments can enforce reasonable requirements for duplexes, these must not effectively prohibit their construction. The amendments are set to take effect 180 days after the bill is enacted into law.

Statutes affected:
House Introduced Bill: 125.3102