Summary of Bill HB 5577 (2025-2026) – Michigan
Topic: Land use; coordinate systems; update (State Plane Coordinates Act)
Jurisdiction: Michigan
Status: As introduced; later reported from committee and, per action history, passed by the House with immediate effect on 2026-04-16. Repeals and amendments align with updating coordinates framework.
Purpose and intent
- Rename and overhaul Michigan’s coordinate framework governing how points on or near the Earth’s surface are defined for the state.
- Align Michigan’s official geodetic coordinates with the most current federal spatial reference system standards (NSRS) as implemented by NOAA/NGS.
- Replace the prior Michigan Coordinate System (MCS) framework based on 1983 and 1927 definitions with a unified Michigan Plane Coordinate System framework.
Key provisions and changes
- Establishes the “Michigan Plane Coordinate System” (MPCS) as the official system for defining positions, replacing the traditional Michigan Coordinate System (MCS) terminology.
- The MPCS is based on the NOAA/NGS standards and the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS), also known as the State Plane Coordinate System (SPCS).
- Zoning structure changes
- Currently, the MCS 1983 divides the state into three zones: north, central, and south.
- The bill would repeal the existing zone scheme and define a “zone” as geographic areas encompassed by closed contiguous county boundaries or submerged lands, or both.
- If a tract crosses zone boundaries, any relevant zone may be used to describe the tract, but the chosen zone must be identified in the tract’s metadata.
- Metadata and reporting requirements
- Metadata is defined to include data describing other data, notably:
- Geodetic reference system used
- Applicable epoch
- Statement of relative accuracy
- Date of observation
- Recording coordinates must include an estimate of positional tolerance at the 95% confidence level (previously, the 1st/2nd order monument-based standard deviation was used; the new standard uses 95% confidence).
- The recording document must describe the nearest first or second order horizontal geodetic control monument and the survey method. If the monument’s position is not published by NOAA/NGS, a licensed Michigan land surveyor must certify conformance with the specified standards.
- Descriptions of location and documentation
- A description of a survey station or land boundary corner using the MPCS is considered a complete and legal description.
- When a tract is described both by coordinates and by reference to a U.S. Public Land Survey subdivision, plat, or other established framework, the coordinate description is supplementary to the official subdivision description, except when a conflict arises, in which case the reference to the subdivision or plat prevails.
- Consistency with existing systems
- The Michigan Plane Coordinate System is defined to align with NSRS values published by NOAA/NGS.
- The state’s legal geodetic reference system must be defined by NSRS.
- Repeals and amendments
- Repeals sections 2, 5, and 5a of 1964 PA 9 (MCL 54.232, 54.235, 54.235a) and amends sections 1, 1a, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9 to reflect the updated framework.
- Eliminates the 1927 and 1983 MCS-specific provisions that are no longer applicable under the MPCS framework.
- Effective date and transitional notes
- The bill specifies the MPCS as the ongoing standard, superseding the prior MCS 1927 and MCS 1983 references. (Specific transitional dates align with the NSRS framework and metadata requirements.)
Affected entities and impact
- Legal and surveying community: Michigan land surveyors and geospatial professionals will need to ensure compliance with 95% confidence interval tolerances, enhanced metadata requirements, and updated monument metadata.
- Local governments and land developers: Descriptions of land boundaries and survey references will follow MPCS guidance and metadata requirements.
- State agencies: Department of Natural Resources and Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy are not expected to face significant fiscal impacts according to the fiscal analysis; implementation is administrative and technical in nature.
- Professional societies: Bodies such as the Michigan Society of Professional Surveyors may support the update to align with federal standards.
Procurement and timeline considerations
- The bill emphasizes metadata, tolerances, and monument data; agencies may need to adjust record-keeping and geodetic control documentation processes.
- No explicit new funding is described; fiscal impact is deemed unlikely to be material.
Notes
- The bill’s analysis indicates it aims to bring Michigan into compliance with federal requirements to align with the most recent spatial reference system (NSRS/State Plane System).
