DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES  
REAL ESTATE DIVISION  
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE  
(By authority conferred on the natural resources commission by section 7 of Act No. 227  
of the Public Acts of 1972, being S213.327 of the Michigan Compiled Laws)  
R 299.951 Definitions.  
Rule 1. (1) "Commission" means the natural resources commission.  
(2) "Department" means the department of natural resources.  
(3) "Uniform act" means the uniform relocation assistance and real property  
acquisition policies act of 1970, Public Law 91-646.  
(4) "Aggrieved relocatee" means a person who may be entitled to a determination  
pursuant to the uniform act and who is dissatisfied with the determination with regard to  
their eligibility for benefits or the amount of the benefit.  
(5) "Person" means an individual, partnership, corporation, or association.  
History: 1979 AC.  
R 299.952 Aggrieved relocatee's options.  
Rule 2. (1) An aggrieved relocatee who wishes to contest a determination made  
concerning either eligibility for benefits or the amount of benefits due pursuant to the  
uniform act may either:  
(a) File a written objection with the department's land acquisition supervisior.  
(b) Appear before the department's land acquisition supervisor and present his  
objection orally.  
(2) An objection, whether written or oral, shall be filed or presented within 6 months  
after the aggrieved relocatee is given written notice of the determination to which  
objection is made.  
(3) The land acquisition supervisor shall give written notice of his decision by  
registered mail within 30 days after receipt of a written or oral objection.  
History: 1979 AC.  
R 299.953 Hearing by department.  
Rule 3. An aggrieved relocatee who wishes to contest the land acquisition  
supervisor's written decision may file a written objection with the department and may  
appear before the department to present an objection after written decision of the land  
acquisition supervisor. The objection shall be filed within 30 days after written notice by  
the land acquisition supervisor. A personal appearance shall be scheduled after a  
written request by the aggrieved relocatee. The hearing shall be conducted by a 3-  
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member appeals committee appointed by the director of the department. One  
member of the committee shall be designated as hearings officer. The aggrieved  
relocatee may represent himself at the hearing orbe represented by legal counsel. The  
department may be represented by the attorney general.  
History: 1979 AC.  
R 299.954 Opening statements; evidence; witnesses.  
Rule 4. (1) The hearing shall be opened by the hearings officer with a concise statement  
of the hearing's nature and purpose. The hearings officer shall follow the rules of  
evidence applicable to circuit court proceedings. However, the hearings officer may  
admit and give probative effect to evidence which possesses probative value commonly  
accepted by reasonably prudent men in the conduct of their affairs.  
(2) Documentary evidence may be received in the form of copies, excerpts or by  
incorporation by reference.  
(3) The aggrieved relocatee, the department and the appeals committee may examine  
witnesses.  
History: 1979 AC.  
R 299.955 Exhibits; form; submission.  
Rule 5. (1) Evidence to be presented, consisting of matters so complex as to make the  
presentation difficult to follow, may be presented in  
exhibit form, supplemented and explained, but not duplicated by oral testimony.  
(2) An exhibit shall be numbered in numerical sequence and an exhibit of 2 or more  
pages shall be stapled together and notation made at the top of the first page as to the  
number of pages contained therein. A party introducing documentary exhibits shall  
furnish 3 copies to the hearings officer.  
(3) Additional documentary evidence may be submitted subsequent to the closing of  
the hearing upon stipulation of the parties.  
History: 1979 AC.  
R 299.956 Arguments and decisions.  
Rule 6. (1) After all of the evidence is entered in the record, the aggrieved relocatee  
and the department may summarize their arguments and the hearing shall be closed.  
(2) Within 30 days after the hearing, the hearings officer shall send a written notice of  
the appeals committee's decision by registered mail to the aggrieved relocatee. The  
written notice shall contain the reasons supporting the decision. A copy of the  
hearing transcript shall be available upon request.  
History: 1979 AC.  
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R 299.957 Appeals to commission.  
Rule 7. (1) The decision of the appeals committee may be appealed to the commission if  
written notice of appeal is filed by the aggrieved relocate with the commission within 30  
days after the hearings officer renders a decision.  
(2) On appeal to the commission, additional written evidence may be filed by the  
aggrieved relocatee and by the department within 10 days after filing the notice of  
appeal of the appeals committee's decision. In rendering its decision, the commission  
shall consider the entire hearing record, and additional written evidence which may have  
been filed by the aggrieved relocatee or the department. The commission may request  
the aggrieved locatee to personally appear. The commission shall inform the aggrieved  
relocatee and the department of its decision on the appeal by sending them a copy of its  
written decision within 30 days after the commission meets following the filing of  
additional written evidence.  
(3) The decision of the commission shall be subject to judicial review by the  
appropriate state or federal court as provided by statutes and court rules.  
History: 1979 AC.  
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