  Scooter2k7 Member Username: Scooter2k7 Post Number: 1 Registered: 10-2007 |
With all the development that is occurring in the northern mile roads area of Macomb county I cannot help to think how longer they can actually be called townships. Areas like Clinton Township, Macomb Township, and Shelby Township could all have over 100,000 people in 10 years. Has anyone ever heard of Clinton, Macomb, or Shelby incorporating into a city. I know that Macomb and Shelby were carved out of Utica and Clinton was carved out Mount Clemens. Just curious what everyone's thoughts are. | ||
Fareastsider Member Username: Fareastsider Post Number: 656 Registered: 08-2006 |
There were various plans including the incorporation of Clinton, Harrison and Sterling all together and individualy over the years. Names like Clinton Valley and Clintondale. Sterling Twp incorporated in 1967. Shelby Twp has toyed the idea off and on for years I heard the name Shelbydale for a city before. I doubt it will happen soon as the Twps pawn services from the county such as roads and if they incorporate they will need to be in charge of a lot more and probably have to raise taxes. Im not to sure of how the laws work exactly though someone on here probably knows more....a lot more. Welcome to the forum Scooter. You must know though that the Twps were made from the land survey system (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P ublic_Land_Survey_System) and pre date the cities. They were not carved from the cities. | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 3618 Registered: 12-2005 |
Yes, welcome to the forum Scooter. FWIW, there is already an existing town named Shelby near the west coast of Michigan. | ||
Scooter2k7 Member Username: Scooter2k7 Post Number: 2 Registered: 10-2007 |
Thanks glad to be here. There is also another Clinton Township, Michigan. On some maps still today they list Macomb as Waldenburg. Waldenburg still has a presence in Macomb Township as there is Waldenburg Park and some shopping center on Romeo Plan called Waldenburg something. | ||
Novine Member Username: Novine Post Number: 186 Registered: 07-2007 |
Over the years, the state has passed a number of laws that have really blurred the differences between cities and townships. Many urban townships have adopted the charter township status which gives them broad powers to exercise most of the powers that cities do. Also, incorporation as a city typically requires the new city to take on the responsibility for local roads and few places want to do that as the funding for roads from the state never matches the cost to maintain them. The last large township incorporations were in the early 1980s with Avon Township incorporating as Rochester Hills and Pontiac Township incorporating as Auburn Hills. There haven't been any large townships that have incorporated as a city since then and most experts don't expect that there will be any in the foreseeable future. Just in SE Michigan, you have a number of townships with over 50,000 residents and if those townships haven't incorporated, it's unlikely that any others will. | ||
Alan55 Member Username: Alan55 Post Number: 688 Registered: 09-2005 |
There are lots of unincorporated villages in virtually all townships, such as Waldenburg. Basically, they were just "Wide Spots in the Road", an informal collection of houses and other buildings. These unincorporated villages never had their own village government, relying on the townships for all of their municipal needs. Another example is Mount Vernon at 28 Mile Road in Washington Township. Another one in Livonia was called Wallaceville, which I believe is still the name of a school district there. | ||
Lefty2 Member Username: Lefty2 Post Number: 499 Registered: 07-2007 |
and the issue is? | ||
French777 Member Username: French777 Post Number: 253 Registered: 10-2006 |
Residents pay lower taxes in Townships! | ||
Hpgrmln Member Username: Hpgrmln Post Number: 242 Registered: 06-2007 |
"Another example is Mount Vernon at 28 Mile Road in Washington Township. Another one in Livonia was called Wallaceville, which I believe is still the name of a school district there." You mean Clarenceville? I have this same argument about Canton. Unlike the twps of Shelby and Clinton, Canton does not share a name with a village or small town in Michigan."City of Canton" just seems like a more appropriate title. And how about Waterford? | ||
Blueidone Member Username: Blueidone Post Number: 151 Registered: 03-2007 |
I seem to recall learning at some time in my life that when the townships were platted certain portions were earmarked for schools and churches. Does anyone know about this? | ||
Novine Member Username: Novine Post Number: 188 Registered: 07-2007 |
"Residents pay lower taxes in Townships!" This is generally true but not because they are townships. There's nothing special about township governments that make them cheaper to run than cities. Large townships like Canton and Waterford levy millages close to similar sized cities. The only major difference is that cities are responsible for local roads and that is a significant cost. Otherwise, the cost to run a similar sized city and township are equal. '"City of Canton" just seems like a more appropriate title.' The title generally reflects the government organization. You don't get to be called a city just because you have X population. You have to organize as a city. The funny thing is that some villages have organized as city but kept village in their name like The City of the Village of Clarkston (or the reverse - Mackinac City is a village). "I seem to recall learning at some time in my life that when the townships were platted certain portions were earmarked for schools and churches." This was the Land Ordinance of 1785: "The ordinance was also significant for establishing a mechanism for funding public education. Section 16 in each township was reserved for the maintenance of public schools. Many modern schools today still are located in section sixteen of their respective townships, although a great many of the school sections were sold to raise money for public education." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L and_Ordinance_of_1785 | ||
Blueidone Member Username: Blueidone Post Number: 154 Registered: 03-2007 |
Thanks Novine! It's nice to know that some portions of my memory are still intact! Now, if I could just remember what I did yesterday! :-) | ||
Catman_dude Member Username: Catman_dude Post Number: 247 Registered: 03-2006 |
Back in early 1960s, the city of Livonia wanted to annex a part of Nankin Township where the Westland Shopping Center was to be built. Apparently, a township status doesn't prevent cities from annexing a part of it. So the people of Nankin Township incorporated into the city of Westland to stop Livonia's annexation efforts. Back then, I guess cities have greater powers to take over townships? | ||
Novine Member Username: Novine Post Number: 191 Registered: 07-2007 |
"Apparently, a township status doesn't prevent cities from annexing a part of it." That used to be true. But the state law for charter townships has been changed to provide more protection against annexation and make more populated ones "immune" from annexation. Also, most annexations have to go through the State Boundary Commission which most approve them before they can go forward. Plus, if an area to be annexed has more than 100 residents, they can petition for a vote and if the city, the township or the area to be annexed vote against the annexation (each gets counted separately), the annexation fails. This has stopped most of the annexations of that kind that used to happen in the 50s and 60s. There is still a loophole in the Charter Township Act that bypasses most of those restrictions that some cities have used to annex areas of charter townships, which is how Pontiac was able to annex that area of Bloomfield Township north of Telegraph. |
