Council advances code rewrite review; adds language to adopt future state building-code updates automatically

Council members spent the bulk of the meeting reviewing chapters 4–7 of a proposed code rewrite, focusing on building regulations, community development (DDA), and environment/nuisance provisions.

On building codes, participants identified incorrect edition references and agreed to add a new subsection that would "automatically adopt all future code updates to the codes listed" as promulgated by the state construction-code commission under 1972 PA230 (state statutory citation noted in the draft). The suggested language would make future state updates effective locally without a separate local adoption step, a change proponents said would reduce repetitive ordinance amendments.

Councilors also reviewed Chapter 6 language describing the Downtown Development Authority, including the DDA’s board composition (8–12 members), appointment by the village "chief executive officer" (the draft defines that term as the village president), budget reporting requirements and the tax-increment financing plan approval process.

In Chapter 7 (environment), the council discussed definitions of public nuisances, policing of waterways and which village offices should be authorized to issue notices of violation. Members clarified that some waterways within the village are considered the village’s navigable waterway and said that removal of hazards (fallen logs) can be undertaken by local volunteers and village crews rather than being solely a DNR function.

Council directed staff to correct edition citations (for example, the Michigan Residential Code references), add the automatic-adoption subsection, and standardize officer/inspector titles used across the ordinance text. No final ordinance vote was taken; the item remains in the code-rewrite review process.