Emmett Township

Overview

The Charter Township of Emmett is located in Calhoun County, Michigan and shares a border with the City of Battle Creek to the west. The township has a population of 11,744 (2020Census) and population density of 366.5 people per square mile.
The Township became a charter township in September 1984 having been a general law township previously.

What is a Township?
In Michigan, townships provide local government services to areas of the state not otherwise in a city or village. Michigan township populations vary in size across the state with the smallest around 15 and largest topping 100,000.


Michigan townships are statutory units of government, having only those powers expressly provided or fairly implied by state law. State laws authorize townships to perform a wide variety of functions. Townships are required to perform assessment administration, tax collection, and elections administration. Townships may choose to perform numerous governmental functions, including enacting and enforcing ordinances, planning and zoning, fire and police protection, cemeteries, parks and recreation facilities and programs, and many more.


There are two types of townships in Michigan: general law and charter townships. All townships are general law townships unless they have incorporated as a charter township. Charter township status is a township classification created by the Michigan Legislature in 1947 to provide additional powers and streamlined administration for governing a growing community. A primary motivation for townships to adopt the charter form can be to provide greater protection against annexation by a city.