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Acharter township is a form oflocal government in theU.S. state ofMichigan. While all townships in Michigan are organized governments, a charter township has been granted acharter, which allows it certain rights and responsibilities ofhome rule that are generally intermediate between those of acity (a semi-autonomous jurisdiction in Michigan) and avillage. Unless it is a home-rule village, a village is subject to the authority of any township in which it is located.
Of Michigan's 1,240 townships, 143 are charter townships.[1][2] A number of charter townships are among the most populousmunicipalities in Michigan. For example,Clinton Township andCanton Township, both inMetro Detroit, were respectively the 8th and 9th most populous municipalities in Michigan at the2020 census. The most recent township to become a charter township isBrady Township inKalamazoo County, which adopted charter status on January 3, 2024.[3]
Following World War II,suburbanization increased the population in many formerly outlying communities. In 1947, thestate legislature created a special charter township status, which grants additional powers and streamlined administration in order to provide greater protection for townships against annexation of land by cities and villages. As of 2024[update], there were 139 charter townships in Michigan.[4] Atownship with a population of 2,000 or more may incorporate as a charter township and become amunicipal corporation. It possesses all the powers of a non-charter township, in addition to those specified by the Charter Township Act of 1947.[5]
Legislative authority is exercised by an elected township board of seven members, consisting of the supervisor,township clerk, township treasurer, and four trustees. They must be residents of the township and eligible to vote in elections. All members of the board serve four-year terms. Unlike the boards forgeneral law townships, which may have either five or seven members, a charter township must have seven members. If a general law township with a five-member board elects to become a charter township, two additional members are to be elected in the next general election.[6]
Charter townships may appoint either a township superintendent or township manager, who can be assigned responsibilities for managing township functions. (This is comparable to cities that hire a city manager to oversee the day-to-day operations of the city). Otherwise, executive authority lies with the supervisor and various committees.
A charter township may establish a variety of municipal services, such as a police force, fire department, and assessors, and may also acquire property. It may borrow money and issue bonds, with the approval of a majority of township voters in an election. Similarly, a charter township cannot levy taxes without the approval of a majority of the township population voting in an election. This is one significant difference from home-rule municipalities, in which the municipal authority can levy taxes without specific approval from voters.
A charter township is mostly exempt fromannexation from contiguous cities or villages, providing that the township meets certain requirements:
A charter township may still be subject to annexation under certain conditions, such as for the purpose of eliminating isolated islands of township or by vote of a majority of the residents of a portion of township. Temporary land transfers, which can involve charter townships, have provision underPublic Act 425 of 1984. Under this statute, a charter township, for example, can have land transferred to a city in exchange for revenue sharing of the transferred parcels. These agreements, known as425 Agreements, can last up to 50 years, and the land can either be completely transferred to the city or returned to the township upon fulfillment of the agreement.