Michigan MCL 125.3205 — Prohibition on Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning (MI)

Tracked preemption from the Michigan overlay bundle.

Overview

Effective
1988-01-01
Sunset
Authority
state
Scope
state:MI
Primary-source summary
Michigan Zoning Enabling Act (MZEA) — MCL 125.3101 et seq.

Trigger predicate

When this evaluates true for a parcel, the law's preempted fields take precedence over base zoning.

always true

Preempted fields

2 fields on the base district schema are rewritten when the trigger fires.

FieldOpValueNote
inclusionary_zoning_mandateprohibitmandatory_below_market_set_asideLocal units exercising MZEA authority cannot require below-market unit set-asides, control rents/prices, or condition zoning approval on affordability designation.
base_districts[*].affordability_set_aside_pctwaiveAny zoning condition mandating an affordable set-aside is facially invalid. Voluntary density-bonus / fee-waiver / tax-abatement programs are NOT preempted.

Citation

Authority source
MCL 125.3205 (codifying 1988 PA 48 ban, re-enacted in 2006 PA 110)
https://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(0))/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectName=mcl-125-3205

Research notes

Cleanest preemption in MI zoning law — express substantive ceiling. Voluntary IZ, PILOT/LIHTC/MSHDA-funded deed-restricted projects, brownfield/TIF/NEZ/OPRA negotiated affordability, and Detroit Community Benefits Ordinance contract-based negotiation all remain available. As of 2026-05-18, reform proposals to permit opt-in mandatory IZ have not advanced past committee.