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Municipality

• Definition: A municipality is a broad term that refers to any self-governing local unit, such as a city, village, or township. It’s an entity with a charter or legal authority to govern itself under state law.

• Types: Municipalities in Michigan include:

  • Cities: Fully independent local governments with their own charters, not part of a township, and typically providing a full range of services (e.g., police, fire, water).

  • Villages: Smaller incorporated areas that remain part of a township but have some self-governing powers through a charter or state law.

  • Townships: Rural or semi-rural areas with a basic level of self-governance, which may or may not have a charter (more on this below).

• Key Feature: A municipality has some degree of home rule (self-governance), with powers defined by its charter and state law, like the Home Rule City Act or General Law Village Act.

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Township

• Definition: A township is a specific type of local government unit, typically covering a geographic area of about 36 square miles (a survey township from the Public Land Survey System). It’s one of the primary forms of local governance in Michigan, especially in rural areas.

• Types:

  • General Law Township: The default form, governed by state statutes with limited powers (e.g., basic services like roads, elections, and property tax collection).

  • Charter Township: A township that has adopted a charter under the Charter Township Act, giving it enhanced powers and protections against annexation by cities, plus more control over local affairs (e.g., zoning, utilities).

• Key Feature: Townships are subordinate to counties and may overlap with villages (which are part of townships), but they are distinct from cities, which are fully independent.

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Main Differences

1. Scope:

   • "Municipality" is an umbrella term that includes townships, cities, and villages.

   • "Township" is a specific type of municipality, usually less urbanized than cities or villages.

2. Independence:

   • Cities are independent of townships and have their own charters.

   • Townships may contain villages but retain some authority over them, unless the township becomes a charter township with more autonomy.

3. Services:

   • Cities typically provide more extensive services (e.g., police, fire, sewers).

   • Townships, especially general law ones, offer fewer services, relying on counties for things like law enforcement unless they upgrade to charter status.

4. Annexation:

   • General law townships can lose land to cities via annexation.

   • Charter townships have protections against annexation, making them more stable.

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In short, a township is a type of municipality in Michigan, often rural, with varying levels of self-governance (general law or charter), while a municipality can also be a city or village with different powers and independence.