State Law “Tops” Federal Land Patents in Michigan “Bottoms-lands” Dispute

Ownership of riparian property automatically includes that portion of a lake’s bottomlands known as the riparian or littoral extension. This principle is well established under Michigan property law. A recent Michigan Court of Appeals decision reconfirms the same but added a further clarification.

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Public Act 56 Has Its First Change

A new change to Public Act 56 came into effect. As you may recall, Public Act 56 was enacted in 2012 to regulate under the criminal law uses of public road-ends terminating at the edge of a Michigan inland lake or stream. At a public road ends, private citizens may not use of boat hoists or boat anchorage devices, moor or dock between 12 midnight and sunrise, or undertake any activity that obstructs ingress to or egress from the inland lake or stream.

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COA Decision: Property Labelled by a Meander Line “Defines the Sinuosities of the Banks”

When a plat shows a lot is bounded by the meander line of a lake, the grant of land is to the water’s edge.

In Gilroy v. Speidel, the Court of Appeals was called upon to interpret the scope of an easement plaintiff Gilroy had over defendant Speidel’s property on Lake Huron.   The easement’s language is unusual in that it granted defendant an easement on the east 24 feet of Lot 20 except the North 340 feet thereof… to restrict construction or improvements on this property to maintain the view from the Gilroy property.” The easement also granted Gilroy the right to have a walkway to the shore of Lake Huron.  Continue reading “COA Decision: Property Labelled by a Meander Line “Defines the Sinuosities of the Banks””

Rights for Docking By Overusing a Common Easement Fails in Prescription Suit

The case of O’Brien v Hicks  (COA No. 307332) involves one of two parkways located beside Otsego Lake in the Hazel Banks Plat, named “Parkway 6-7.”   Continue reading “Rights for Docking By Overusing a Common Easement Fails in Prescription Suit”