Natural River Zoning Board
Pere Marquette Zoning Review Board
The Natural Rivers Act (Part 305 of 1994 PA 451, formerly Act 231 of 1970) was signed into law in December 1970, two years after the Federal Wild & Scenic Rivers Act was enacted. The Pere Marquette River, in 1978, was the eighth of sixteen rivers to be designated in the Natural Rivers Program. The Act was adopted with a purpose of preserving and enhancing the values of a river. The values and uses include: conserving the water and maintaining it in a free flowing condition, protecting the fish and wildlife and their habitat, maintaining the scenic and aesthetic qualities, preserving the function of the floodplain, protecting the ecology of the aquatic system, maintaining the beauty and recreational values, and protecting the historic areas.
The Act does this through zoning restrictions along the 400 foot corridor on either side of the river. Setbacks, minimum lot widths, natural vegetation strips and limitations on certain commercial and other uses.
A large share of the Pere Marquette River system is designated as a Natural River, and this includes all the various branches and many of the tributaries. Incorporated municipalities (Baldwin, Scottville… ), although, are not subject to Natural River zoning rules. The area designated includes all lands within 400 feet of the water on either side of a river or creek. Construction and other development activities within 400 feet of the water require a zoning permit before work begins. If the proposed construction does not meet the zoning standards, a variance must be obtained before a zoning permit can be issued. There is no fee to apply for a variance or permit.
Variance requests for this watershed go before the Pere Marquette Zoning Review Board, a board made up of PMWC members, county, township and citizens-at-large plus state and federal resource professionals. This Board interprets the Natural Rivers Act and makes decisions on individual variance requests and special use permits. The Natural Rivers Act is available at www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-30301_31431_31442—,00.html. The Natural Rivers Zoning Administrator for the Pere Marquette River Watershed is Matt Fry, who can be reached at frym1@michigan.gov. His office assists landowners with questions and the variance request process if needed.