Michigan Compiled Laws, Chapter 280. Drain Code of 1956 § 280.52

Sec. 52. Upon filing of such application for a new drainage district, the commissioner shall immediately cause a survey to be made by a competent surveyor or engineer to determine the area which would be drained by the proposed drain, and the route and type of construction of the drain or drains most serviceable for that purpose. He shall not be limited in such determination to the route described in the application. In any county having a board of county auditors, no survey shall be ordered without the approval of such board but if the application shows, or it is determined thereafter, that any such proposed drainage district will affect lands in more than 1 county, the commissioner shall proceed under the portions of chapter 5 of this act  1 relating to intercounty drains, and in such case the approval of the board of county auditors shall not be required. If upon the survey, or if before the survey is made, the commissioner determines that the proposed drain is impractical, he shall take no further action thereon but shall, in writing, notify the persons who delivered the application to him, of that fact, and his reasons for making his determination. If upon the survey the commissioner determines the proposed drain to be practical, he shall lay out a drainage district, prepare and file in the office of the drain commissioner a description of the drainage district, which may be described by its boundaries of highways and streets and tracts and parcels of land including therein all highways and streets, townships, cities and villages or by a description of all tracts or parcels of land, highways, townships, cities and villages which would be benefited by the construction of the proposed drain, and which would be liable to an assessment therefor, should the drain be constructed as hereinafter provided. The commissioner shall obtain from the county treasurer a statement showing as near as may be the amount of taxes and special assessments levied against the lands in the proposed drainage district on the tax rolls for the 3 years next preceding, and the amount of such taxes and assessments remaining unpaid, and if it appears from the statement that 33 1/3 % or more of the lands in the proposed drainage district have been returned as tax delinquent and still remain delinquent, no further action shall be taken.