Standards and ordinances regulating shoreland zoning. (FE)

Act 55 made various changes to the laws regulating shoreland zoning including the following:

1. Prohibiting a county shoreland zoning ordinance from regulating a matter more restrictively than the matter is regulated by a shoreland zoning standard promulgated by DNR.

2. Prohibiting a shoreland zoning ordinance from requiring a person to establish a vegetative buffer zone on previously developed land or expand an existing buffer zone.

3. Requiring a shoreland zoning ordinance to allow a vegetative buffer zone to contain a viewing corridor of at least 35 feet wide for every 100 feet of shoreline frontage and to allow the corridor to run contiguously for the entire maximum allowable width.

4. Prohibiting DNR from establishing shoreland zoning standards and prohibiting counties from enacting shoreland zoning ordinances that regulate certain outdoor lighting, that regulate certain construction activities with respect to nonconforming structures, and that impose certain standards for impervious surfaces.

5. Allowing certain maintenance and repair of nonconforming structures in shorelands that are accessory structures such as garages, sheds, sidewalks, and patios.

6. Generally requiring city and village shoreland zoning ordinances that apply to certain shorelands that were annexed or incorporated by the city or village to be consistent with the requirements and limitations applicable to county shoreland zoning ordinances.

7. Prohibits DNR from appealing a decision of a county to grant or deny a variance to a law regulating county shoreland zoning.

This bill eliminates the changes to the law made by Act 55 so that the law is consistent with pre-Act 55 law.