HOUSE BILL No. 4633


     May 4, 1999, Introduced by Reps. Kowall, DeHart, Hager, Rivet, Shackleton, LaSata, Green, Bradstreet, Sanborn, Bishop, Toy, Gosselin, DeVuyst, Kukuk, Pappageorge and Scranton and referred to the Committee on Conservation and Outdoor Recreation.


        A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled

   "Natural resources and environmental protection act,"

   by amending section 71601 (MCL 324.71601), as added by 1998

   PA 286.

               THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 1         Sec. 71601.  As used in this part:

 2         (a) "Community recreation plan" means a 5-year, comprehen-

 3    sive recreation plan for a given local unit of government,

 4    approval of which is required by the department for participation

 5    in the land and water conservation fund program pursuant to the

 6    land and water conservation fund act of 1965, public law 88-578,

 7    78 Stat. 897, and the Michigan natural resources trust fund grant

 8    program under part 19.

 9         (b) "Department" means the department of natural resources.




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 1         (c) "Director" means the director of the department.

 2         (d) "Grant" means a local recreation grant under this part.

 3         (e) "Infrastructure improvement" means restoration of the

 4    natural environment or the renovation, repair, replacement,

 5    upgrading, or structural improvement of an existing facility that

 6    is not less than 15 years old, including any of the following:

 7         (i) Recreation centers.

 8         (ii) Sports fields.

 9         (iii) Beaches.

10         (iv) Trails.

11         (v) Playgrounds.

12         (f) "Local recreation project" means capital improvement

13    projects including, but not limited to, the construction, expan-

14    sion, development, or rehabilitation of recreational facilities.

15    Local recreation project does not include the operation, mainte-

16    nance, or administration of those facilities, wages, or adminis-

17    tration of projects or purchase of facilities already dedicated

18    to public recreational purposes.

19         (g) "Local unit of government" means a county, city, town-

20    ship, village, the Huron-Clinton metropolitan authority, or any

21    authority composed of counties, cities, townships, villages, or

22    any combination of those entities, which authority is legally

23    constituted to provide public recreation.  HOWEVER, LOCAL UNIT OF

24    GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY AUTHORITY TO WHICH ALL OF THE

25    FOLLOWING APPLY:

26         (i) THE AUTHORITY IS COMPOSED OF AT LEAST 5 COUNTIES.





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 1         (ii) THE AUTHORITY OWNS OR CONTROLS AT LEAST 15,000 ACRES OF

 2    LAND.

 3         (iii) THE AUTHORITY IMPOSES PROHIBITIONS OR LIMITATIONS ON

 4    HUNTING OR FISHING ON ANY OF THE ACREAGE IT OWNS OR CONTROLS.

 5         (h) "Regional park" means a public recreation site that is

 6    under the applicant's control and that is in compliance with all

 7    of the following requirements as determined by the department:

 8         (i) The site does now, or will, attract not less than 25% of

 9    its users from areas in the region that are 30 minutes or more

10    driving time from the site.

11         (ii) The site provides passive, water-based, and active rec-

12    reation opportunities.

13         (iii) The site is contiguous to, or encompasses, a natural

14    resource feature.





























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