Bill > SB0689

This bill amends existing law to expand the circumstances under which farmland can be removed from a development rights agreement, which is a legal arrangement designed to preserve farmland and open space by restricting development. Specifically, it allows for the relinquishment of farmland from these agreements if it is approved by both the local governing body and the state land use agency, and if the land contains structures that were present before the agreement was established, or if it's for the construction of a residence for an individual essential to the farm's operation, with limitations on the acreage that can be relinquished. The bill also clarifies that if farmland subject to a development rights agreement becomes subject to an agricultural conservation easement or is purchased for development rights, it is automatically relinquished from the agreement without incurring a lien, which is a financial claim placed on property to secure payment of a debt or obligation, typically related to tax credits received under the agreement.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-SB-0689