—[ CHAPTER 3 ]—
the imposition of financial burdens on owners of open land or large parcels. Signatories who are in default on their property taxes or other assessments are disqualified. Alternatively, a township board may adopt a resolution petitioning improvements on roads meeting the standards in the above paragraph. 2) The CRC board or agent must hold a Hearing of Necessity on the petition. It is also an opportunity for the CRC to inform the property owners of the petition filing, the cost implications and the payment method. 3) Owners have 45 days in which to overturn a petition filed by the township board by filing signatures of 51 percent of the frontage owners on the road of the proposed improvement. 4) CRC engineering staff examine the proposed project and produce an estimate of the project costs. If the CRC still considers the project to be necessary and in the public interest, it may issue an order of determination and conduct a hearing to learn of any objections the property owners may raise. The CRC must publish a notice of the hearing in a newspaper at least twice during the two weeks preceding the hearing, and also post the notice in five public locations. The final order must be acted on not more than 30 days after the hearing. 5) If the improvement district is not expanded and if the CRC does not increase the estimated costs by more than 10 percent as shown in the order of determination, the CRC may adopt the order without further hearing. The final order must specify the total costs, the amount to be apportioned to the affected landowners, the amount to be apportioned to the township at large and the amount the CRC will assume. These apportionments are to track a determination of the benefits, although the CRC may not assign more than 25 percent of the cost to townships. The CRC may not impose an obligation on a township board without approval of the township board. The CRC board must also specify the number of annual payments in which property owners are to pay the assessment. The number may not exceed 10 years. 6) The CRC prepares the bid specifications and advertises for bids. Financing for the project may be obtained by issuing special assessment bonds. 56
Michigan County Road Commissioners Handbook