Model Ordinances

Water and Natural Resource Protection Ordinances

• Water Quality Checklist for Master Plans and Zoning Ordinances
• Black River Watershed Master Plan Language and Ordinance Recommendations to protect water quality. This project was funded with an MDNRE grant (non-point source pollution section 319 of the Clean Water Act).  Get more information on the Black River Watershed Project and see a master plan and zoning ordinance checklist for water quality.
• Opportunities for Water Resource Protection in Local Plans, Ordinances, and Programs: A Workbook for Local Governments  This workbook provides tools for planning and design that consider water quality protection. It provides local governments with a continuum of options for preserving and restoring water resources and demonstrating the connections between plans and ordinances.
• Stormwater Model Ordinance (PDF, 1.6 MB)  See more information on Low Impact Development.
• Macomb County Model Environmental Ordinances  Macomb County has implemented several ordinances geared toward environmental protection. They have also made these ordinances available for use by other municipalities in a template format: 
  • Stormwater Management
  • Floodplain
  • Wetlands
  • Overlay District
  • Setback Ordinance
  • Native Vegetation
  • Woodland/Tree Protection
• Center for Watershed Protection
  Better Site Design: A Handbook for Changing Development Rules in Your Community.  
  • Handbook Part I,  Center for Watershed Protection, 1998 (PDF, 10 MB)
  • Handbook Part II, Center for Watershed Protection, 1998 (PDF, 8.6 MB)

Wind Energy Resources

Small Wind Turbine Model Ordinance