2012 Michigan Compiled Laws
Chapter 125 — PLANNING, HOUSING, AND ZONING
Act 281 of 1986 — THE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FINANCING ACT (125.2151 - 125.2174)
Section 125.2162a — Designation as certified technology park; application to Michigan economic development corporation; agreement; determination of sale price or rental value for public facilities; inclusion of legal and equitable remedies and rights; marketing services; additional certified technology parks; priority to certain applications; duties of state.

THE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FINANCING ACT (EXCERPT)
Act 281 of 1986

125.2162a Designation as certified technology park; application to Michigan economic development corporation; agreement; determination of sale price or rental value for public facilities; inclusion of legal and equitable remedies and rights; marketing services; additional certified technology parks; priority to certain applications; duties of state.

Sec. 12a.

(1) A municipality that has created an authority may apply to the Michigan economic development corporation for designation of all or a portion of the authority district as a certified technology park and to enter into an agreement governing the terms and conditions of the designation. The form of the application shall be in a form specified by the Michigan economic development corporation and shall include information the Michigan economic development corporation determines necessary to make the determinations required under this section.

(2) After receipt of an application, the Michigan economic development corporation may designate, pursuant to an agreement entered into under subsection (3), a certified technology park that is determined by the Michigan economic development corporation to satisfy 1 or more of the following criteria based on the application:

(a) A demonstration of significant support from an institution of higher education, a private research-based institute, or a large, private corporate research and development center located within the proximity of the proposed certified technology park, as evidenced by, but not limited to, the following types of support:

(i) Grants of preferences for access to and commercialization of intellectual property.

(ii) Access to laboratory and other facilities owned by or under control of the institution of higher education or private research-based institute.

(iii) Donations of services.

(iv) Access to telecommunication facilities and other infrastructure.

(v) Financial commitments.

(vi) Access to faculty, staff, and students.

(vii) Opportunities for adjunct faculty and other types of staff arrangements or affiliations.

(b) A demonstration of a significant commitment on behalf of the institution of higher education, private research-based institute, or a large, private corporate research and development center to the commercialization of research produced at the certified technology park, as evidenced by the intellectual property and, if applicable, tenure policies that reward faculty and staff for commercialization and collaboration with private businesses.

(c) A demonstration that the proposed certified technology park will be developed to take advantage of the unique characteristics and specialties offered by the public and private resources available in the area in which the proposed certified technology park will be located.

(d) The existence of or proposed development of a business incubator within the proposed certified technology park that exhibits the following types of resources and organization:

(i) Significant financial and other types of support from the public or private resources in the area in which the proposed certified technology park will be located.

(ii) A business plan exhibiting the economic utilization and availability of resources and a likelihood of successful development of technologies and research into viable business enterprises.

(iii) A commitment to the employment of a qualified full-time manager to supervise the development and operation of the business incubator.

(e) The existence of a business plan for the proposed certified technology park that identifies its objectives in a clearly focused and measurable fashion and that addresses the following matters:

(i) A commitment to new business formation.

(ii) The clustering of businesses, technology, and research.

(iii) The opportunity for and costs of development of properties under common ownership or control.

(iv) The availability of and method proposed for development of infrastructure and other improvements, including telecommunications technology, necessary for the development of the proposed certified technology park.

(v) Assumptions of costs and revenues related to the development of the proposed certified technology park.

(f) A demonstrable and satisfactory assurance that the proposed certified technology park can be developed to principally contain eligible property as defined by section 2(s)(iii) and (v).

(3) An authority and a municipality that incorporated the authority may enter into an agreement with the Michigan economic development corporation establishing the terms and conditions governing the certified technology park. Upon designation of the certified technology park pursuant to the terms of the agreement, the subsequent failure of any party to comply with the terms of the agreement shall not result in the termination or rescission of the designation of the area as a certified technology park. The agreement shall include, but is not limited to, the following provisions:

(a) A description of the area to be included within the certified technology park.

(b) Covenants and restrictions, if any, upon all or a portion of the properties contained within the certified technology park and terms of enforcement of any covenants or restrictions.

(c) The financial commitments of any party to the agreement and of any owner or developer of property within the certified technology park.

(d) The terms of any commitment required from an institution of higher education or private research-based institute for support of the operations and activities at eligible properties within the certified technology park.

(e) The terms of enforcement of the agreement, which may include the definition of events of default, cure periods, legal and equitable remedies and rights, and penalties and damages, actual or liquidated, upon the occurrence of an event of default.

(f) The public facilities to be developed for the certified technology park.

(g) The costs approved for public facilities under section 2(dd).

(4) If the Michigan economic development corporation has determined that a sale price or rental value at below market rate will assist in increasing employment or private investment in the certified technology park, the authority and municipality have authority to determine the sale price or rental value for public facilities owned or developed by the authority and municipality in the certified technology park at below market rate.

(5) If public facilities developed pursuant to an agreement entered into under this section are conveyed or leased at less than fair market value or at below market rates, the terms of the conveyance or lease shall include legal and equitable remedies and rights to assure the public facilities are used as eligible property. Legal and equitable remedies and rights may include penalties and actual or liquidated damages.

(6) Except as otherwise provided in this section, an agreement designating a certified technology park may not be made after December 31, 2002, but any agreement made on or before December 31, 2002 may be amended after that date. However, the Michigan economic development corporation may enter into an agreement with a municipality after December 31, 2002 and on or before December 31, 2005 if that municipality has adopted a resolution of interest to create a certified technology park before December 31, 2002.

(7) The Michigan economic development corporation shall market the certified technology parks and the certified business parks. The Michigan economic development corporation and an authority may contract with each other or any third party for these marketing services.

(8) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (9), (10), and (11), the Michigan economic development corporation shall not designate more than 10 certified technology parks. For purposes of this subsection only, 2 certified technology parks located in a county that contains a city with a population of more than 750,000, shall be counted as 1 certified technology park. Not more than 7 of the certified technology parks designated under this section may not include a firm commitment from at least 1 business engaged in a high technology activity creating a significant number of jobs.

(9) The Michigan economic development corporation may designate an additional 5 certified technology parks after November 1, 2002 and before December 31, 2007. The Michigan economic development corporation shall not accept applications for the additional certified technology parks under this subsection until after November 1, 2002.

(10) The Michigan economic development corporation may designate an additional 3 certified technology parks after February 1, 2008 and before December 31, 2008. The Michigan economic development corporation shall not accept applications for the additional certified technology parks under this subsection until after February 1, 2008.

(11) The Michigan economic development corporation may designate an additional 3 certified technology parks before March 31, 2013. It is the intent of the legislature that after the additional 3 certified technology parks are designated under this subsection, no additional certified technology parks shall be designated under this section.

(12) The Michigan economic development corporation shall give priority to applications that include new business activity.

(13) For an authority established by 2 or more municipalities under sections 3(2) and 4(7), each municipality in which the authority district is located by a majority vote of the members of its governing body may make a limited tax pledge to support the authority's tax increment bonds issued under section 14 or, if authorized by the voters of the municipality, may pledge its full faith and credit for the payment of the principal of and interest on the bonds. The municipalities that have made a pledge to support the authority's tax increment bonds may approve by resolution an agreement among themselves establishing obligations each may have to the other party or parties to the agreement for reimbursement of all or any portion of a payment made by a municipality related to its pledge to support the authority's tax increment bonds.

(14) Not including certified technology parks designated under subsection (8), but for certified technology parks designated under subsections (9), (10), and (11) only, this state shall do all of the following:

(a) Reimburse intermediate school districts each year for all tax revenue lost that was captured by an authority for a certified technology park designated by the Michigan economic development corporation after October 3, 2002.

(b) Reimburse local school districts each year for all tax revenue lost that was captured by an authority for a certified technology park designated by the Michigan economic development corporation after October 3, 2002.

(c) Reimburse the school aid fund from funds other than those appropriated in section 11 of the state school aid act of 1979, 1979 PA 94, MCL 388.1611, for an amount equal to the reimbursement calculations under subdivisions (a) and (b) and for all revenue lost that was captured by an authority for a certified technology park designated by the Michigan economic development corporation after October 3, 2002. Foundation allowances calculated under section 20 of the state school aid act of 1979, 1979 PA 94, MCL 388.1620, shall not be reduced as a result of tax revenue lost that was captured by an authority for a certified technology park designated by the Michigan economic development corporation under subsection (9), (10), or (11) after October 3, 2002.

History: Add. 2000, Act 248, Imd. Eff. June 29, 2000 ;-- Am. 2002, Act 575, Imd. Eff. Oct. 3, 2002 ;-- Am. 2004, Act 365, Imd. Eff. Oct. 7, 2004 ;-- Am. 2008, Act 105, Imd. Eff. Apr. 23, 2008 ;-- Am. 2009, Act 161, Imd. Eff. Dec. 14, 2009 ;-- Am. 2009, Act 162, Imd. Eff. Dec. 14, 2009 ;-- Am. 2012, Act 290, Imd. Eff. Aug. 1, 2012