SUN COMMUNITIES INC
S-8, 1999-07-08
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS
Previous: SPG PROPERTIES INC/MD/, S-8 POS, 1999-07-08
Next: MACE SECURITY INTERNATIONAL INC, 4, 1999-07-08



<PAGE>   1


          As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 8, 1999
                                           Registration No. 333-
                                                                ----------------

================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                 ---------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                 ---------------

                              SUN COMMUNITIES, INC.
       (Exact name of registrant as specified in its governing instrument)

            MARYLAND                                   38-2730780
   (State or Other Jurisdiction of         (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
   Incorporation or Organization)

                                 ---------------

                        31700 MIDDLEBELT ROAD, SUITE 145
                        FARMINGTON HILLS, MICHIGAN 48334
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

                    ----------------------------------------

               SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED 1993 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)

                    ----------------------------------------

                                GARY A. SHIFFMAN
                             CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
                              SUN COMMUNITIES, INC.
                        31700 MIDDLEBELT ROAD, SUITE 145
                        FARMINGTON HILLS, MICHIGAN 48334
                                 (248) 932-3100
(Name, Address, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)

                    ----------------------------------------

                                    Copy to:

                             JEFFREY M. WEISS, ESQ.
                        JAFFE, RAITT, HEUER & WEISS, P.C.
                         ONE WOODWARD AVENUE, SUITE 2400
                             DETROIT, MICHIGAN 48226
                                 (313) 961-8380

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
==============================================================================================================================

                                                                    Proposed Maximum       Proposed Maximum       Amount of
Title of Securities                           Amount to be        Offering Price Per     Aggregate Offering     Registration
to be Registered                               Registered         -------------------    -------------------    ------------
- ----------------                               ----------              Share (1)              Price (1)              Fee
                                                                       ---------              ---------              ---
<S>                                          <C>                   <C>                   <C>                    <C>
Common Stock, par value $.01 per share          2,013,680               $35.625              $71,737,350           $19,943

==============================================================================================================================
</TABLE>

(1)  Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee
     pursuant to Rule 457 of the Securities Act of 1933, based on the average of
     the high and low prices of the Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, of
     Sun Communities, Inc., reported on the New York Stock Exchange on July 6,
     1999.


<PAGE>   2


                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS

ITEM 1.  PLAN INFORMATION

         The documents containing the information specified in this Item 1 will
be sent or given to employees, officers, directors or others as specified by
Rule 428(b)(1). In accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities
and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") and the instructions to Form S-8,
such documents are not being filed with the Commission either as part of this
Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to
Rule 424.

ITEM 2.  REGISTRANT INFORMATION AND EMPLOYEE PLAN ANNUAL INFORMATION

         The documents containing the information specified in this Item 2 will
be sent or given to employees, officers, directors or others as specified by
Rule 428(b)(1). In accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission
and the instructions to Form S-8, such documents are not being filed with the
Commission either as part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or
prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule 424.

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

         The following documents and information heretofore filed with the
Commission are incorporated herein by reference:

         (a)      The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
                  December 31, 1998, filed pursuant to the Securities Exchange
                  Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act");

         (b)      The Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
                  ended March 31, 1999 filed pursuant to the Exchange Act;

         (c)      The Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January
                  8, 1999 pursuant to the Exchange Act; and

         (d)      The description of the Registrant's Common Stock contained in
                  the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed
                  pursuant to the Exchange Act, and all amendments or reports
                  filed for the purpose of updating such description.

         All documents subsequently filed with the Commission by the Registrant
pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to
the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities
offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining
unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration
Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

         Any statement contained in this Registration Statement or in a document
incorporated, or deemed to be incorporated, by reference herein shall be deemed
to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the
extent that a statement contained herein or in any subsequently filed document
which also is, or is deemed to be, incorporated by reference herein modifies or
supersedes such earlier statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall
not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this
Registration Statement.

ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

       Not applicable.


                                      -2-



<PAGE>   3

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

         The validity of the shares of the Registrant's Common Stock to be
issued pursuant to this Registration Statement will be passed upon by Jaffe,
Raitt, Heuer & Weiss, P.C. Arthur A. Weiss, who is a director of the Registrant,
is a shareholder of Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss, P.C. In addition, as of July 2,
1999, certain shareholders of Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss, P.C. beneficially
owned approximately 68,800 shares of the Registrant's Common Stock.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

         As permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law (the "MGCL"), the
Registrant's charter authorizes the Registrant to obligate itself to indemnify
its present and former directors and officers and to pay or reimburse expenses
for such individuals in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding to the
maximum extent permitted from time to time by Maryland law. The Registrant's
bylaws obligate it to indemnify its present and former directors and officers
and to pay or reimburse expenses for such individuals in advance of the final
disposition of a proceeding to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law. The
MGCL permits a corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and
officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements, and
reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding
to which they may be made a party by reason of their service in those capacities
unless it is established that: (i) the act or omission of the director or
officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding; and (a) was
committed in bad faith or, (b) was the result of active and deliberate
dishonesty; (ii) the director or officer actually received an improper personal
benefit in money, property, or services; or (iii) in the case of any criminal
proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act
or omission was unlawful.

         The MGCL permits the charter of a Maryland corporation to include a
provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the
corporation and its stockholders for money damages, except to the extent that:
(i) it is proved that the person actually received an improper benefit or profit
in money, property or services; or (ii) a judgment or other final adjudication
is entered in a proceeding based on a finding that the person's action, or
failure to act, was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was
material to the cause of action adjudicated in the proceeding. The Registrant's
charter contains a provision providing for elimination of the liability of its
directors or officers to the Registrant or its stockholders for money damages to
the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law from time to time.

         The Registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with each of
its directors and officers that provide the maximum indemnity allowed under
Maryland law.

ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

       Not Applicable.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS

         The exhibits filed herewith are set forth on the Exhibit Index filed as
part of this Registration Statement.

ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS

       (a)   The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

             (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
        made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

                 (i)   to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
             the Securities Act;

                 (ii)  to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
             after the effective date of this registration statement (or the
             most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually
             or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
             information set forth in this registration statement.
             Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume
             of securities offered (if the total dollar value securities


                                       -3-

<PAGE>   4

             offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any
             deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum
             offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed
             with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate,
             the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change
             in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the
             "Calculation of Registration Fee" table set forth in this
             registration statement; and

                 (iii) to include any material information with respect to the
             plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this registration
             statement or any material change to such information in this
             registration statement.

         Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not
         apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective
         amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by
         the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange
         Act that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement.

             (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
         Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to
         be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
         therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
         deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

             (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
         amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at
         the termination of the offering.

         (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange
Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual
report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by
reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration
statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such
securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
thereof.

         (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and
is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.



                                      -4-

<PAGE>   5


                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Farmington Hills, State of Michigan, on July 2, 1999.

                               SUN COMMUNITIES, INC., a Maryland
                               corporation


                               By:  /s/ Gary A. Shiffman
                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                       Gary A. Shiffman, Chief Executive Officer


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature
appears below, hereby constitutes and appoints Gary A. Shiffman and Jeffrey P.
Jorissen, or either of them, his attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power
of substitution and resubstitution for him in any and all capacities, to sign
any or all amendments or post-effective amendments to this Registration
Statement, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in
connection therewith or in connection with the registration of the Common Stock
under the Securities Act of 1933, with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
granting unto each of such attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority
to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary in
connection with such matters as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or
could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of such
attorneys-in-fact and agents or his substitute or substitutes may do or cause to
be done by virtue hereof.

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the date indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

         NAME                                      TITLE                                DATE
         ----                                      -----                                ----
<S>                                       <C>                                      <C>
/s/ Milton M. Shiffman                    Chairman of the Board                     July 2, 1999
- ----------------------------
       Milton M. Shiffman
                                          Chief Executive Officer,                  July 2, 1999
/s/ Gary A. Shiffman                      President (principal executive
- ----------------------------              officer), and Director
       Gary A. Shiffman
                                          Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice      July 2, 1999
/s/ Jeffrey P. Jorissen                   President, Treasurer and Secretary
- ----------------------------              (principal financial and accounting
       Jeffrey P. Jorissen                 officer)

                                                                                     July 2, 1999
/s/ Paul D. Lapides                       Director
- ----------------------------
       Paul D. Lapides

/s/ Clunet R. Lewis                       Director                                  July 2, 1999
- ----------------------------
       Clunet R. Lewis

/s/ Ronald L. Piasecki                    Director                                  July 2, 1999
- ----------------------------
       Ronald L. Piasecki

/s/ Ted J. Simon                          Director                                  July 2, 1999
- ----------------------------
       Ted J. Simon

</TABLE>

                                      -5-

<PAGE>   6

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

       NAME                                 TITLE                            DATE
       ----                                 -----                            ----
<S>                                         <C>                          <C>
/s/ Arthur A. Weiss                         Director                     July 2, 1999
- ----------------------------
        Arthur A. Weiss
</TABLE>









                                      -6-



<PAGE>   7


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


EXHIBIT
NUMBER                            DESCRIPTION
- ------                            -----------
4.1         Second Amended and Restated 1993 Stock Option Plan
4.2*        Form of Stock Option Agreement between the Company and certain
            directors, officers and other individuals
5.1         Opinion of Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss, P.C. as to legality of
            securities being registered
23.1        Consent of Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss, P.C. (included as part of
            Exhibit 5.1)
23.2        Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers L.L.P., independent accountants
24.1        Power of Attorney (included on the signature page of this
            Registration Statement)

- --------------------

*   Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 of the Registrant's Registration
Statement on Form S-11 (File No. 33-69340).




                                      -7-

<PAGE>   1
                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.1

                              SUN COMMUNITIES, INC.

                           SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED

                             1993 STOCK OPTION PLAN


                                   ARTICLE I.
                        PURPOSE AND ADOPTION OF THE PLAN

         1.01  PURPOSE. The purpose of the Sun Communities, Inc. Stock Option
Plan (the "Plan") is to provide certain key employees of Sun Communities, Inc.
(the "Company") with an additional incentive to promote the Company's financial
success and to provide an incentive which the Company may use to induce able
persons to enter into or remain in the employment of the Company or a
Subsidiary.

         1.02  ADOPTION AND TERM. The Plan was initially approved by the Board
and the Company's shareholders and was effective as of November 19, 1993. The
Amended and Restated Plan was approved by the Board on May 20, 1996 and by the
Company's stockholders on July 23, 1996. The Second Amended and Restated Plan
was adopted by the Board on, and is effective as of, March 19, 1999, subject to
approval of the Company's stockholders on or before March 19, 2000, and will
remain in effect until all shares authorized under the terms of the Plan have
been issued, unless earlier terminated or abandoned by action of the Board;
provided, however, that no Incentive Stock Option may be granted after November
19, 2003.

                                   ARTICLE II.
                                   DEFINITIONS

         2.01  ADMINISTRATOR means the group of persons having authority to
administer the Plan pursuant to Section 3.01.

         2.02  AVERAGE PRICE means, on any given date, the average of the
closing sales prices of the Company Common Stock as quoted on the New York Stock
Exchange for the ten (10) business day period immediately preceding and
including the Date of Grant.

         2.03  AWARD means any one or combination of Non-Qualified Stock
Options, Performance Based Options, Incentive Stock Options, Stock Appreciation
Rights, Restricted Share Rights or any other award made under the terms of the
Plan.

         2.04  AWARD AGREEMENT means a written agreement between the Company and
Participant or a written acknowledgment from the Company specifically setting
forth the terms and conditions of an Award granted under the Plan.

         2.05  AWARD PERIOD means, with respect to an Award, the period of time
set forth in the Award Agreement during which specified conditions set forth in
the Award Agreement must be satisfied.

         2.06  BENEFICIARY means (a) an individual, trust or estate who or
which, by will or by operation of the laws of descent and distribution, succeeds
to the rights and obligations of the Participant under the Plan and Award
Agreement upon the Participant's death; or (b) an individual, who by designation
of the Participant, succeeds to the rights and obligations of the Participant
under the Plan and Award Agreement upon the Participant's death.

         2.07  BOARD means the Board of Directors of the Company.




<PAGE>   2

         2.08  CHANGE OF CONTROL EVENT means (a) an event or series of events by
which any Person or other entity or group (as such term is used in Section 13(d)
and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) of Persons or other entities acting in concert as
a partnership or other group (a "Group of Persons") (other than Persons who are,
or Groups of Persons entirely made up of, (i) management personnel of the
Company or (ii) any affiliates of any such management personnel) shall, as a
result of a tender or exchange offer or offers, an open market purchase or
purchases, a privately negotiated purchase or purchases or otherwise, become the
beneficial owner (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act,
except that a Person shall be deemed to have "beneficial ownership" of all
securities that such Person has the right to acquire, whether such right is
exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), directly or
indirectly, of 20% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding
voting stock of the Company; (b) the Company consolidates with, or merges with
or into, another Person (other than a Subsidiary in a transaction which is not
otherwise a Change of Control Event), or sells, assigns, conveys, transfers,
leases or otherwise disposes of all or substantially all of its assets to any
Person, or any Person consolidates with, or merges with or into the Company, in
any such event pursuant to a transaction in which the outstanding voting stock
of the Company is converted into or exchanged for cash, securities or other
property; (c) during any consecutive two-year period, individuals who at the
beginning of such period constituted the Board (together with any new directors
whose election by such Board or whose nomination for election by the
stockholders of the Company, was approved by a vote of 66-2/3% of the directors
then still in office who were either directors at the beginning of such period
or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved) cease
for any reason to constitute a majority of the Board then in office; or (d) any
liquidation or dissolution of the Company (other than a liquidation into a
Subsidiary that is not otherwise a Change of Control Event).

         2.09  CODE means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
References to a section of the Code shall include that section and any
comparable section or sections of any future legislation that amends,
supplements or supersedes that section.

         2.10  COMPANY means Sun Communities, Inc., a Maryland corporation.

         2.11  COMPANY COMMON STOCK means the Common Stock of the Company, par
value $0.01.

         2.12  DATE OF GRANT means the date designated by the Administrator as
the date as of which it grants an Award, which shall not be earlier than the
date on which the Administrator approves the granting of such Award.

         2.13  DIRECTOR means a member of the Board of Directors of the Company.

         2.14  EXCHANGE ACT means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.

         2.15  EXERCISE PRICE means, with respect to a Stock Appreciation Right,
the amount established by the Administrator, in accordance with Section 7.03
hereunder, and set forth in the Award Agreement, which is to be subtracted from
the Fair Market Value on the date of exercise in order to determine the amount
of the Incremental Value to be paid to the Participant.


                                      -2-

<PAGE>   3

         2.16  EXPIRATION DATE means the date specified in an Award Agreement as
the expiration date of such Award.

         2.17  FAIR MARKET VALUE means, with respect to Awards granted
coincident with the date of the closing of the Company's initial public offering
of Company Common Stock, the public offering price. Thereafter, Fair Market
Value means, on any given date, the average of the highest and lowest selling
price for the Company Common Stock as reported on the Composite Tape for New
York Stock Exchange Listed Companies, or, if there were no sales on such date,
the average of the highest and lowest selling price for the most recent date
upon which a sale was reported.

         2.18  INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION means a stock option described in Section
422 of the Code.

         2.19  INCREMENTAL VALUE has the meaning given such term in Section 7.01
of the Plan.

         2.20  NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTION means a stock option which is not an
Incentive Stock Option.

         2.21  OFFICER means a president, vice president, treasurer, secretary,
controller, and any other person who performs functions corresponding to the
foregoing officers for the Company, any member of the Board of the Company or
any person performing similar functions with respect to the Company, and any
other participant who is deemed to be an officer or director of the Company for
purposes of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder, as
currently in effect or as amended from time to time.

         2.22  OPTIONS means all Non-Qualified Stock Options, Incentive Stock
Options and Performance Based Options granted at any time under the Plan.

         2.23  PARTICIPANT shall have the meaning set forth in Article V.

         2.24  PERFORMANCE BASED OPTION means a stock option which, upon
exercise or at any other time, would not result in or give rise to "applicable
employee remuneration" within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.

         2.25  PLAN means the Sun Communities, Inc. Stock Option Plan, as
described herein and as it may be amended from time to time.

         2.26  PURCHASE PRICE, with respect to options, shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 6.02.

         2.27  RESTRICTED SHARE RIGHT means a right to receive Company Common
Stock subject to restrictions imposed under the terms of an Award granted
pursuant to Article IX.

         2.28  RULE 16B-3 means Rule 16b-3 promulgated by the Securities and
Exchange Commission under Section 16 of the Exchange Act, as currently in effect
and as it may be amended from time to time, and any successor rule.

         2.29  STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHT means an Award granted in accordance
with Article VII.



                                      -3-
<PAGE>   4

         2.30  SUBSIDIARY shall have the meaning set forth in Section 424(f) of
the Code.

         2.31  TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT means the voluntary or involuntary
termination of a Participant's employment with the Company for any reason,
including death, disability, retirement or as the result of the divestiture of
the Participant's employer or any other similar transaction in which the
Participant's employer ceases to be the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company.
Whether an authorized leave of absence or absence on military or government
service, absence due to disability, or absence for any other reason shall
constitute Termination of Employment shall be determined in each case by the
Administrator in its sole discretion.

                                  ARTICLE III.
                                 ADMINISTRATION

         3.01  ADMINISTRATION. The Administrator of the Plan shall be a
committee of two or more Directors with authority to act as provided in Rule
16b-3 and shall be elected or appointed by the Board. The members of the
committee shall meet the "disinterested person" requirements of Rule
16b-3(c)(2)(i) and, with respect to Awards designated as Performance Based
Options, shall also be "outside directors" within the meaning of Section 162(m)
of the Code. The Administrator shall administer the Plan in accordance with this
provision and shall have the sole discretionary authority to interpret the Plan,
to establish and modify administrative rules for the Plan, to impose such
conditions and restrictions on Awards as it determines appropriate, to cancel
Awards (including those made pursuant to other plans of the Company) and to
substitute new options (including options granted under other plans of the
Company) with the consent of the recipient, and to take such steps in connection
with the Plan and Awards granted thereunder as it may deem necessary or
advisable. The Administrator may, with respect to Participants who are not
Officers, delegate such of its powers and authority under the Plan as it deems
appropriate to designated officers or employees of the Company.

         3.02  INDEMNIFICATION. Members of the Administrator shall be entitled
to indemnification and reimbursement from the Company for any action or any
failure to act in connection with service as Administrator to the full extent
provided for or permitted by the Company's certificate of incorporation or
bylaws or by any insurance policy or other agreement intended for the benefit of
the Company's officers, directors or employees or by any applicable law.

                                   ARTICLE IV.
               COMPANY COMMON STOCK ISSUABLE PURSUANT TO THE PLAN

         4.01  SHARES ISSUABLE. Shares to be issued under the Plan may be
authorized and unissued shares or issued shares which have been reacquired by
the Company. Except as provided in Section 4.03, the Awards granted to any
Participant and to all Participants in the aggregate under the Plan shall be
limited so that the sum of the following shall never exceed ten percent (10%) of
the total number of shares of Company Common Stock outstanding from time to time
(assuming the conversion into shares of Company Common Stock of all Common OP
Units in Sun Communities Operating Limited Partnership held by limited
partners): (i) all shares which shall be issued upon the exercise of outstanding
Options or other Awards granted under the Plan, (ii) all shares for which
payment of Incremental Value shall be made by reason of the exercise of Stock
Appreciation Rights at any time granted under the Plan, and (iii) the number of
shares otherwise issuable under an Award which are applied by the



                                      -4-
<PAGE>   5

Company to payment of the withholding or tax liability discussed in Section
11.04; provided, however, that, in no event, shall the number of shares of
Company Common Stock which may be issued upon the exercise of Incentive Stock
Options exceed 1,000,000 shares, subject to adjustment in accordance with
Section 4.03.

         4.02  SHARES SUBJECT TO TERMINATED AWARDS. In the event that any Award
at any time granted under the Plan shall be surrendered to the Company, be
terminated or expire before it shall have been fully exercised, or an award of
Stock Appreciation Rights is exercised for cash, then all shares formerly
subject to such Award as to which such Award shall not have been exercised shall
be available for any Award subsequently granted in accordance with the Plan.
Shares of Company Common Stock subject to Options, or portions thereof, which
have been surrendered in connection with the exercise of tandem Stock
Appreciation Rights shall not be available for subsequent Awards under the Plan,
and shares of Company Common Stock issued in payment of such Stock Appreciation
Rights shall be charged against the number of shares of Company Common Stock
available for the grant of Awards. Shares which are reacquired by the Company or
shares issuable subject to Restricted Share Rights which are forfeited pursuant
to forfeiture provisions in the Award Agreement shall be available for
subsequently granted Awards only if the forfeiting Participant received no
benefits of ownership (such as dividends actually paid to the Participant) other
than voting rights of the forfeited shares. Any shares of Company Common Stock
issued by the Company pursuant to its assumption or substitution of outstanding
grants from acquired companies shall not reduce the number of shares available
for Awards under this Plan unless issued under this Plan.

         4.03  ADJUSTMENTS TO REFLECT CAPITAL CHANGES.

               (a) RECAPITALIZATION. The number and kind of shares subject to
         outstanding Awards, the Purchase Price or Exercise Price for such
         shares, and the number and kind of shares available for Awards
         subsequently granted under the Plan shall be appropriately adjusted to
         reflect any stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of
         shares, merger, consolidation or other change in capitalization with a
         similar substantive effect upon the Plan or the Awards granted under
         the Plan. The Administrator shall have the power to determine the
         amount of the adjustment to be made in each case.

               (b) SALE OR REORGANIZATION. After any reorganization, merger or
         consolidation in which the Company is a surviving corporation, each
         Participant shall, at no additional cost, be entitled upon exercise of
         an Award to receive (subject to any required action by stockholders),
         in lieu of the number of shares of Company Common Stock receivable or
         exercisable pursuant to such Award, a number and class of shares of
         stock or other securities to which such Participant would have been
         entitled pursuant to the terms of the reorganization, merger or
         consolidation if, at the time of such reorganization, merger or
         consolidation, such Participant had been the holder of record of a
         number of shares of stock equal to the number of shares receivable or
         exercisable pursuant to such Award. Comparable rights shall accrue to
         each Participant in the event of successive reorganizations, mergers or
         consolidations of the character described above.

               (c) OPTIONS TO PURCHASE STOCK OF ACQUIRED COMPANIES. After any
         reorganization, merger or consolidation in which the Company or a
         Subsidiary of the Company shall be a surviving corporation, the
         Administrator may grant substituted Options under the provisions of the
         Plan, pursuant to Section 424 of the Code, replacing old options
         granted under a plan of another party to the




                                      -5-
<PAGE>   6

         reorganization, merger or consolidation, where such party's stock
         may no longer be issued following such merger or consolidation. The
         foregoing adjustments and manner of application of the foregoing
         provisions shall be determined by the Administrator in its sole
         discretion. Any adjustments may provide for the elimination of any
         fractional shares which might otherwise have become subject to any
         Awards.

                                   ARTICLE V.
                                  PARTICIPATION

         5.01  ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES. Participants in the Plan shall be the
Officers who are employees of the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company and
other employees of the Company or a Subsidiary having managerial, supervisory or
similar responsibilities or who are key administrative employees or sales
managers, and who are not covered by any collective bargaining agreement binding
on such persons' employer, as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may
designate from time to time. The Administrator's designation of a Participant in
any year shall not require the Administrator to designate such person to receive
Awards in any other year. The Administrator shall consider such factors as it
deems pertinent in selecting Participants and in determining the type and amount
of their respective Awards.

         5.02  SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR CERTAIN NON-EMPLOYEES. Notwithstanding any
provision contained in this Plan to the contrary, the Administrator may grant
Awards under the Plan to non-employees who, in the judgment of the
Administrator, render significant services to the Company or a Subsidiary, on
such terms and conditions as the Administrator deems appropriate and consistent
with the intent of the Plan.

                                   ARTICLE VI.
                                  OPTION AWARDS

         6.01  POWER TO GRANT OPTIONS. The Administrator may grant, to such
Participants as the Administrator may select, Options entitling the Participant
to purchase Company Common Stock from the Company at the Average Price in such
quantity and on such terms and subject to such conditions, not inconsistent with
the terms of this Plan, as may be established by the Administrator; provided,
however, that the Options may be granted at exercise prices of no less than 85%
of the Average Price if such discount is expressly granted in lieu of a
reasonable amount of salary or bonus. The terms of any Option granted under this
Plan shall be set forth in an Award Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
Options granted to Officers shall not be exercisable for a period of at least
six months from the Date of Grant.

         6.02  PURCHASE PRICE OF OPTIONS. The Purchase Price of each share of
Company Common Stock which may be purchased upon exercise of any Option granted
under the Plan shall be determined in accordance with Section 6.01, provided
that the Purchase Price for shares of Company Common Stock purchased pursuant to
Stock Options designated by the Administrator as Incentive Stock Options shall
be equal to or greater than the Fair Market Value on the Date of Grant as
required under Section 422 of the Code and provided further that the Purchase
Price for shares of Company Common Stock purchased pursuant to Stock Options
designated by the Administrator as Performance Based Options shall be equal to
or greater than the Fair Market Value on the Date of Grant.

         6.03  DESIGNATION OF INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS. Except as otherwise
expressly provided in the Plan, the Administrator may designate, at the Date of
Grant of



                                      -6-
<PAGE>   7
each Option, that the Option is an Incentive Stock Option under Section
422 of the Code.

               (a) INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION SHARE LIMITATION. No Participant may
         be granted Incentive Stock Options under the Plan (or any other plans
         of the Company) which would result in stock with an aggregate Fair
         Market Value (measured on the Date of Grant) of more than $100,000
         first becoming exercisable in any one calendar year, or which would
         entitle such Participant to purchase a number of shares greater than
         the maximum number permitted by Section 422 of the Code as in effect on
         the Date of Grant.

               (b) OTHER INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION TERMS. Whenever possible, each
         provision in the Plan and in every Option granted under this Plan which
         is designated by the Administrator as an Incentive Stock Option shall
         be interpreted in such a manner as to entitle the Option to the tax
         treatment afforded by Section 422 of the Code. If any provision of this
         Plan or any Option designated by the Administrator as an Incentive
         Stock Option shall be held not to comply with requirements necessary to
         entitle such Option to such tax treatment, then (i) such provision
         shall be deemed to have contained from the outset such language as
         shall be necessary to entitle the Option to the tax treatment afforded
         under Section 422 of the Code, and (ii) all other provisions of this
         Plan and the Award Agreement shall remain in full force and effect. If
         any agreement covering an Option designated by the Administrator to be
         an Incentive Stock Option under this Plan shall not explicitly include
         any terms required to entitle such Incentive Stock Option to the tax
         treatment afforded by Section 422 of the Code, all such terms shall be
         deemed implicit in the designation of such Option and the Option shall
         be deemed to have been granted subject to all such terms.

         6.04  DESIGNATION OF PERFORMANCE BASED OPTIONS. Except as otherwise
expressly provided in the Plan, the Administrator may designate, at the Date of
Grant of each Option, that the Option is a Performance Based Option. A
Performance Based Option shall have a Purchase Price not less than the Fair
Market Value on the Date of Grant and shall contain such other terms and
conditions as the Administrator may deem necessary so that, upon exercise or at
any other time, the Performance Based Option does not result in or give rise to
"applicable employee remuneration" within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the
Code.

         6.05  RIGHTS AS A STOCKHOLDER. The Participant or any transferee of an
Option pursuant to Section 8.02 or Section 11.05 shall have no rights as a
stockholder with respect to any shares of Company Common Stock covered by an
Option until the Participant or transferee shall have become the holder of
record of any such shares, and no adjustment shall be made for dividends and
cash or other property or distributions or other rights with respect to any such
shares of Company Common Stock for which the record date is prior to the date on
which the Participant or a transferee of the Option shall have become the holder
of record of any such shares covered by the Option.

                                  ARTICLE VII.
                            STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

         7.01  POWER TO GRANT STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS. The Administrator is
authorized to grant to any Participant, on such terms established by the
Administrator on or prior to the Date of Grant and subject to and not
inconsistent with the provisions of this Plan, the right to receive the payment
from the Company, payable as provided in




                                      -7-
<PAGE>   8

Section 7.04, of an amount equal to the Incremental Value of the Stock
Appreciation Rights, which shall be an amount equal to the remainder derived
from subtracting (i) the Exercise Price for the right established in the Award
Agreement from (ii) the Fair Market Value of a share of Company Common Stock on
the date of exercise. The terms of any Stock Appreciation Right granted under
the Plan shall be set forth in an Award Agreement.

         7.02  TANDEM STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS. The Administrator may grant to
any Participant a Stock Appreciation Right consistent with the provisions of
this Plan covering any share of Company Common Stock which is, at the Date of
Grant of the Stock Appreciation Right, also covered by an Option granted to the
same Participant, either prior to or simultaneously with the grant to such
Participant of the Stock Appreciation Right, provided: (i) any Option covering
any share of Company Common Stock shall expire and not be exercisable upon the
exercise of any Stock Appreciation Right with respect to the same share; (ii)
any Stock Appreciation Right covering any share of Company Common Stock shall
not be exercisable upon the exercise of any related Option with respect to the
same share; and (iii) an Option and Stock Appreciation Right covering the same
share of Company Common Stock may not be exercised simultaneously.

         7.03  EXERCISE PRICE. The Exercise Price established under any Stock
Appreciation Right granted under this Plan shall be determined by the
Administrator and, in the case of a tandem Stock Appreciation Right, shall not
be less than the Purchase Price of the related Option. Upon exercise of the
Stock Appreciation Rights, the number of shares subject to exercise under a
related Option shall automatically be reduced by the number of shares of Company
Common Stock represented by the Option or portion thereof which is surrendered
as a result of the exercise of such Stock Appreciation Rights.

         7.04  PAYMENT OF INCREMENTAL VALUE. Any payment which may become due
from the Company by reason of Participant's exercise of a Stock Appreciation
Right may be paid to the Participant as determined by the Administrator (i) all
in cash, (ii) all in Company Common Stock, or (iii) in any combination of cash
and Company Common Stock. In the event that all or a portion of the payment is
made in Company Common Stock, the number of shares of the Company Common Stock
delivered in satisfaction of such payment shall be determined by dividing the
amount of the payment by the Fair Market Value on the date of exercise. The
Administrator may determine whether payment upon exercise of a Stock
Appreciation Right will be made in cash or in stock, or a combination thereof,
upon or at any time prior to the exercise of such Stock Appreciation Right. No
fractional share of Company Common Stock shall be issued to make any payment; if
any fractional shares would be issuable, the mix of cash and Company Common
Stock payable to the Participant shall be adjusted as directed by the
Administrator to avoid the issuance of any fractional share. Payment may be made
in cash to Officers only if the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised during the
"window period" required under Rule 16b-3(e)(3) and otherwise in accordance with
Rule 16b-3.



                                      -8-
<PAGE>   9

                                  ARTICLE VIII.
                 TERMS OF OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

         8.01  DURATION OF OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS. Options and
Stock Appreciation Rights shall terminate after the first to occur of the
following events:

               (a) Expiration Date of the Award as provided in the Award
         Agreement; or

               (b) Termination of the Award as provided in Section 8.02; or

               (c) In the case of an Incentive Stock Option, ten years from the
         Date of Grant; or

               (d) Solely in the case of tandem Stock Appreciation Rights, upon
         the Expiration Date of the related Option.

         8.02  EXERCISE ON DEATH OR TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT.

               (a) Unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, in the
         event of the death of a Participant while an employee of the Company or
         a Subsidiary of the Company, the right to exercise all unexpired Awards
         shall be accelerated and shall accrue as of the date of death, and the
         Participant's Awards may be exercised by his Beneficiary at any time
         within one year after the date of the Participant's death.

               (b) Unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, in the
         event of Participant's Termination of Employment at any time for any
         reason (including disability or retirement) other than death or for
         "cause", as defined in paragraph (d) below, an Award may be exercised,
         but only to the extent it was otherwise exercisable, on the date of
         Termination of Employment, within ninety days after the date of
         Termination of Employment. In the event of the death of the Participant
         within the ninety-day period following Termination of Employment, his
         Award may be exercised by his Beneficiary within the one year period
         provided in subparagraph (a) above.

               (c) With respect to an Award which is intended to constitute an
         Incentive Stock Option, upon Termination of Employment, such Award
         shall be exercisable as provided in Section 422 of the Code.

               (d) In the event that a Participant's Termination of Employment
         is for "cause", all Awards shall terminate immediately upon Termination
         of Employment. A Participant's employment shall be deemed to have been
         terminated for "cause" if such termination is determined, in the sole
         discretion of the Administrator, to have resulted from an act or
         omission by the Participant constituting active and deliberate
         dishonesty, as established by a final judgment or actual receipt of an
         improper benefit or profit in money, property or services, or from the
         Participant's continuous failure to perform his or her duties under any
         employment agreement in effect between the Participant and the Company
         in any material manner (or, in the absence of such an agreement, the
         consistent failure or refusal of the Participant to perform according
         to reasonable expectations and standards set by the Board and/or
         management consistent





                                      -9-
<PAGE>   10

         with Participant's title and position) after receipt of notice of such
         failure from the Company specifying how the Participant has so failed
         to perform.

         8.03  ACCELERATION OF EXERCISE TIME. The Administrator, in its sole
discretion, shall have the right (but shall not in any case be obligated) to
permit purchase of shares under any Award prior to the time such Award would
otherwise become exercisable under the terms of the Award Agreement.

         8.04  EXTENSION OF EXERCISE TIME. The Administrator, in its sole
discretion, shall have the right (but shall not in any case be obligated) to
permit any Award granted under this Plan to be exercised after its Expiration
Date or after the ninety day period following Termination of Employment,
subject, however, to the limitations described in Section 8.01 (c) and (d).

         8.05  CONDITIONS FOR EXERCISE. An Award Agreement may contain such
waiting periods, exercise dates and restrictions on exercise (including, but not
limited to, periodic installments which may be cumulative) as may be determined
by the Administrator at the Date of Grant. No Stock Appreciation Right may be
exercised prior to six months from the Date of Grant.

         8.06  CHANGE OF CONTROL EVENT. Unless otherwise provided in the Award
Agreement, and subject to such other terms and conditions as the Administrator
may establish in the Award Agreement, upon the occurrence of a Change of Control
Event, irrespective of whether or not an Award is then exercisable, the
Participant shall have the right to exercise in full any unexpired Award to the
extent not theretofore exercised or terminated; provided, however, that any
Stock Appreciation Right so exercised must have a Date of Grant at least six
months prior to the date of exercise.

         8.07  EXERCISE PROCEDURES. Each Option and Stock Appreciation Right
granted under the Plan shall be exercised by written notice to the Company which
must be received by the officer of the Company designated in the Award Agreement
on or before the Expiration Date of the Award. The Purchase Price of shares
purchased upon exercise of an Option granted under the Plan shall be paid in
full in cash by the Participant pursuant to the Award Agreement; provided,
however, that the Administrator may (but need not) permit payment to be made by
delivery to the Company of either (a) shares of Company Common Stock (including
shares issuable to the Participant pursuant to the exercise of the Option), or
(b) any combination of cash and shares of Company Common Stock, or (c) such
other consideration as the Administrator deems appropriate and in compliance
with applicable law (including payment in accordance with a cashless exercise
program under which, if so instructed by the Participant, shares of Company
Common Stock may be issued directly to the Participant's broker or dealer upon
receipt of the Purchase Price in cash from the broker or dealer.) In the event
that any Company Common Stock shall be transferred to the Company to satisfy all
or any part of the Purchase Price, the part of the Purchase Price deemed to have
been satisfied by such transfer of Company Common Stock shall be equal to the
product derived by multiplying the Fair Market Value as of the date of exercise
times the number of shares transferred. The Participant may not transfer to the
Company in satisfaction of the Purchase Price (y) a number of shares which when
multiplied times the Fair Market Value as of the date of exercise would result
in a product greater than the Purchase Price or (z) any fractional share of
Company Common Stock. Any part of the Purchase Price paid in cash upon the
exercise of any Option shall be added to the general funds of the Company and
used for any proper corporate purpose. Unless the Administrator shall otherwise
determine, any Company Common Stock transferred to



                                      -10-
<PAGE>   11

the Company as payment of all or part of the Purchase Price upon the exercise of
any Option shall be held as treasury shares.

                                   ARTICLE IX.
                             RESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS

         9.01  RESTRICTED SHARE AWARDS. The Administrator may grant to any
Participant an Award of Restricted Share Rights entitling such person to receive
shares of Company Common Stock in such quantity, and on such terms, conditions
and restrictions (whether based on performance standards, periods of service or
otherwise) as the Administrator shall determine on or prior to the Date of
Grant. The terms of any Award of Restricted Share Rights granted under the Plan
shall be set forth in an Award Agreement.

         9.02  DURATION OF RESTRICTED SHARE RIGHTS. In no event shall any
Restricted Share Rights granted entitle the holder to receive shares of Company
Common Stock free of all restrictions on transfer at any time prior to the
expiration of three years from the Date of Grant, and each Award Agreement shall
provide that the Participant shall remain employed by the Company or a
Subsidiary for that three year period (subject to the Company's or Subsidiary's
right to terminate such employment).

         9.03  FORFEITURE OF RESTRICTED SHARE RIGHTS. Subject to Section 9.05,
all Restricted Share Rights shall be forfeited and all Restricted Share Awards
shall terminate unless the Participant continues in the service of the Company
or a Subsidiary until the expiration of the forfeiture and satisfies any other
conditions set forth in the Award Agreement. If the Award Agreement shall so
provide, in the case of death, disability or retirement (as defined in the Award
Agreement) of the Participant, all of the shares covered by the Restricted Share
Rights shall immediately vest and any restrictions shall lapse as of the date of
such death, disability or retirement.

         9.04  DELIVERY OF SHARES UPON VESTING. Upon the lapse of the
restrictions established in the Award Agreement, the Participant shall be
entitled to receive, without payment of any cash or other consideration,
certificates for the number of shares covered by the Award.

         9.05  WAIVER OR MODIFICATION OF FORFEITURE PROVISIONS. The
Administrator has full power and authority to modify or waive any or all terms,
conditions or restrictions (other than the minimum restriction period set forth
in Section 9.02) applicable to any Restricted Share Rights granted to a
Participant under the Plan; provided that no modification shall, without consent
of the Participant, adversely affect the Participant's rights thereunder and no
modification shall reduce the employment requirement to less than three years,
except in the case of death, disability or retirement.

         9.06  RIGHTS AS A STOCKHOLDER. No person shall have any rights as a
stockholder with respect to any shares subject to Restricted Share Rights until
such time as the person shall have been issued a certificate for such shares.

                                   ARTICLE X.
                            OTHER STOCK BASED AWARDS

         10.01 GRANT OF OTHER AWARDS. Other Awards of Company Common Stock or
other securities of the Company and other Awards that are valued in whole or in
part by reference to, or are otherwise based on, Company Common Stock ("Other
Awards")



                                      -11-
<PAGE>   12

may be granted either alone or in addition to or in conjunction with Options or
Stock Appreciation Rights under the Plan. Subject to the provisions of the Plan,
the Administrator shall have the sole and complete authority to determine the
persons to whom and the time or times at which Other Awards shall be made, the
number of shares of Company Common Stock or other securities, if any, to be
granted pursuant to such Other Awards, and all other conditions of such Other
Awards. Any Other Award shall be confirmed by an Award Agreement executed by the
Administrator and the Participant, which agreement shall contain such provisions
as the Administrator determines to be necessary or appropriate to carry out the
intent of this Plan with respect to the Other Award.

         10.02 TERMS OF OTHER AWARDS. In addition to the terms and conditions
specified in the Award Agreement, Other Awards made pursuant to this Article X
shall be subject to the following:

               (a) Any shares of Company Common Stock subject to such Other
         Awards may not be sold, assigned, transferred or otherwise encumbered
         prior to the date on which the shares are issued, or, if later, the
         date on which any applicable restriction, performance or deferral
         period lapses; and

               (b) If specified by the Administrator and the Award Agreement,
         the recipient of an Other Award shall be entitled to receive, currently
         or on a deferred basis, interest or dividends or dividend equivalents
         with respect to the Company Common Stock or other securities covered by
         the Other Award; and

               (c) The Award Agreement with respect to any Other Award shall
         contain provisions providing for the disposition of such Other Award in
         the event of Termination of Employment prior to the exercise,
         realization or payment of such Other Award, with such provisions to
         take account of the specific nature and purpose of the Other Award.

                                   ARTICLE XI.
                         TERMS APPLICABLE TO ALL AWARDS

         11.01 AWARD AGREEMENT. The grant and the terms and conditions of the
Award shall be set forth in an Award Agreement between the Company and the
Participant. No person shall have any rights under any Award granted under the
Plan unless and until the Administrator and the Participant to whom the Award is
granted shall have executed and delivered an Award Agreement expressly granting
the Award to such person and setting forth the terms of the Award.

         11.02 PLAN PROVISIONS CONTROL AWARD TERMS. The terms of the Plan shall
govern all Awards granted under the Plan, and in no event shall the
Administrator have the power to grant any Award under the Plan which is contrary
to any of the provisions of the Plan. In the event any provision of any Award
granted under the Plan shall conflict with any term in the Plan as constituted
on the Date of Grant of such Award, the term in the Plan as constituted on the
Date of Grant of such Award shall control. Except as provided in Section 4.03,
(i) the terms of any Award granted under the Plan may not be changed after the
granting of such Award without the express approval of the Participant and (ii)
no modification may be made to an Award granted to an Officer except in
compliance with Rule 16b-3.

         11.03 MODIFICATION OF AWARD AFTER GRANT. Each Award granted under the
Plan to a Participant other than an Officer may be modified after the date of
its grant by





                                      -12-
<PAGE>   13

express written agreement between the Company and the Participant, provided that
such change (i) shall not be inconsistent with the terms of the Plan and (ii)
shall be approved by the Administrator. No modifications may be made to any
Awards granted to an Officer except in compliance with Rule 16b-3.

         11.04 TAXES. The Company shall be entitled, if the Administrator deems
it necessary or desirable, to withhold (or secure payment from the Participant
in lieu of withholding) the amount of any withholding or other tax required by
law to be withheld or paid by the Company with respect to any amount payable
and/or shares issuable under such Participant's Award, or with respect to any
income recognized upon a disqualifying disposition of shares received pursuant
to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option, and the Company may defer payment
or issuance of the cash or stock upon exercise or vesting of an Award unless
indemnified to its satisfaction against any liability for such tax. The amount
of such withholding or tax payment shall be determined by the Administrator and,
unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, shall be payable by the
Participant at the time of issuance or payment in accordance with the following
rules:

               (a) A Participant, other than an Officer, shall have the right to
         elect to meet his or her withholding requirement by: (1) having the
         Company withhold from such Award the appropriate number of shares of
         Company Common Stock, rounded out to the next whole number, the Fair
         Market Value of which is equal to such amount, or, in the case of the
         cash payment, the amount of cash, as is determined by the Company to be
         sufficient to satisfy applicable tax withholding requirements; or (2)
         direct payment to the Company in cash of the amount of any taxes
         required to be withheld with respect to such Award.

               (b) Unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, with respect
         to Officers, the Company shall withhold from such Award the appropriate
         number of shares of Company Common Stock, rounded up to the next whole
         number, the Fair Market Value of which is equal to the amount, as
         determined by the Administrator, (or, in the case of a cash payment,
         the amount of cash) required to satisfy applicable tax withholding
         requirements.

               (c) In the event that an Award or property received upon exercise
         of an Award has already been transferred to the Participant on the date
         upon which withholding requirements apply, the Participant shall pay
         directly to the Company the cash amount determined by the Company to be
         sufficient to satisfy applicable federal, state or local withholding
         requirements. The Participant shall provide to the Company such
         information as the Company shall require to determine the amounts to be
         withheld and the time such withholding requirements become applicable.

               (d) If permitted under applicable federal income tax laws, a
         Participant may elect to be taxed in the year in which an Award is
         exercised or received, even if it would not otherwise have become
         taxable to the Participant. If the Participant makes such an election,
         the Participant shall promptly notify the Company in writing and shall
         provide the Company with a copy of the executed election form as filed
         with the Internal Revenue Service no later than thirty days from the
         date of exercise or receipt. Promptly following such notification, the
         Participant shall pay directly to the Company the cash amount
         determined by the Company to be sufficient to satisfy applicable
         federal, state or local withholding tax requirements.



                                      -13-

<PAGE>   14

         11.05 LIMITATIONS ON TRANSFER. Except as otherwise provided in this
Section 11.05, a Participant's rights and interest under the Plan may not be
assigned or transferred other than by will or the laws of descent and
distribution, or pursuant to the terms of a domestic relations order, as defined
in Section 414(p)(1)(B) of the Code, which satisfies the requirements of Section
414(p)(1)(A) of the Code (a "Qualified Domestic Relations Order"). During the
lifetime of a Participant, only the Participant personally (or the Participant's
personal representative or attorney-in-fact) or the alternate payee named in a
Qualified Domestic Relations Order may exercise the Participant's rights under
the Plan. The Participant's Beneficiary may exercise a Participant's rights to
the extent they are exercisable under the Plan following the death of the
Participant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, or any other provision of this Plan,
a Participant who holds Non-Qualified Stock Options may transfer such Options to
his or her spouse, lineal ascendants, lineal descendants, or to a duly
established trust for the benefit of one or more of these individuals. Options
so transferred may thereafter be transferred only to the Participant who
originally received the Options or to an individual or trust to whom the
Participant could have initially transferred the Option pursuant to this Section
11.05. Options which are transferred pursuant to this Section 11.05 shall be
exercisable by the transferee according to the same terms and conditions as
applied to the Participant.

         11.06 GENERAL RESTRICTION. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
herein, the Company shall have no obligation or liability to deliver any shares
of Company Common Stock under the Plan or to make any other distribution of
benefits under the Plan unless such delivery or distribution would comply with
all applicable laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Exchange Act and the rules and
regulations of the New York Stock Exchange.

         11.07 SURRENDER OF AWARDS. Any Award granted under the Plan may be
surrendered to the Company for cancellation on such terms as the Administrator
and Participant approve, including, but not limited to, terms which provide that
upon such surrender the Company will pay to the Participant cash or Company
Common Stock, or a combination of cash and Company Common Stock.

                                  ARTICLE XII.
                               GENERAL PROVISIONS

         12.01 AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION OF PLAN.

               (a) AMENDMENT. The Board shall have complete power and authority
         to amend the Plan at any time and to add any other stock based Award or
         other incentive compensation programs to the Plan as it deems necessary
         or appropriate and no approval by the stockholders of the Company or by
         any other person, committee or entity of any kind shall be required to
         make any amendment; provided, however, that the Board shall not,
         without the requisite affirmative approval of stockholders of the
         Company, (i) make any amendment which requires stockholder approval
         under any applicable law, including Rule 16b-3 or the Code; or (ii)
         which, unless approved by the requisite affirmative approval of
         stockholders of the Company, would cause, result in or give rise to
         "applicable employee remuneration" within the meaning of Section 162(m)
         of the Code with respect to any Performance Based Option. No
         termination or amendment of the Plan may, without the consent of the
         Participant to whom any Award shall theretofore have been granted under
         the Plan, adversely affect the right of such individual under such
         Award. For the purposes of this section, an amendment to the Plan shall
         be deemed to have the


                                      -14-
<PAGE>   15

         affirmative approval of the stockholders of the Company if such
         amendment shall have been submitted for a vote by the stockholders at a
         duly called meeting of such stockholders at which a quorum was present
         and the majority of votes cast with respect to such amendment at such
         meeting shall have been cast in favor of such amendment, or if the
         holders of outstanding stock having not less than a majority of the
         outstanding shares consent to such amendment in writing in the manner
         provided under the Company's bylaws.

               (b) TERMINATION. The Board shall have the right and the power to
         terminate the Plan at any time. If the Plan is not earlier terminated,
         the Plan shall terminate when all shares authorized under the Plan have
         been issued. No Award shall be granted under the Plan after the
         termination of the Plan, but the termination of the Plan shall not have
         any other effect and any Award outstanding at the time of the
         termination of the Plan may be exercised after termination of the Plan
         at any time prior to the expiration date of such Award to the same
         extent such award would have been exercisable if the Plan had not been
         terminated.

         12.02 NO RIGHT TO EMPLOYMENT. No employee or other person shall have
any claim or right to be granted an Award under this Plan. Neither the Plan nor
any action taken hereunder shall be construed as giving any employee any right
to be retained in the employ of the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company.

         12.03 COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 16B-3. It is intended that the Plan be
applied and administered in compliance with Rule 16b-3. If any provision of the
Plan would be in violation of Rule 16b-3 if applied as written, such provision
shall not have effect as written and shall be given effect so as to comply with
Rule 16b-3, as determined by the Administrator. The Board is authorized to amend
the Plan and to make any such modifications to Award Agreements to comply with
Rule 16b-3, as it may be amended from time to time, and to make any other such
amendments or modifications as it deems necessary or appropriate to better
accomplish the purposes of the Plan in light of any amendments made to Rule
16b-3.

         12.04 SECURITIES LAW RESTRICTIONS. The shares of Company Common Stock
issuable pursuant to the terms of any Awards granted under the Plan may not be
issued by the Company without registration or qualification of such shares under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or under various state securities laws
or without an exemption from such registration requirements. Unless the shares
to be issued under the Plan have been registered and/or qualified as
appropriate, the Company shall be under no obligation to issue shares of Company
Common Stock upon exercise of an Award unless and until such time as there is an
appropriate exemption available from the registration or qualification
requirements of federal or state law as determined by the Administrator in its
sole discretion. The Administrator may require any person who is granted an
award hereunder to agree with the Company to represent and agree in writing that
if such shares are issuable under an exemption from registration requirements,
the shares will be "restricted" securities which may be resold only in
compliance with applicable securities laws, and that such person is acquiring
the shares issued upon exercise of the Award for investment, and not with the
view toward distribution.

         12.05 CAPTIONS. The captions (i.e., all section headings) used in the
Plan are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of the Plan, and shall
not be deemed to limit, characterize or affect in any way any provisions of the
Plan, and all provisions of the Plan shall be construed as if no captions have
been used in the Plan.


                                      -15-
<PAGE>   16

         12.06 SEVERABILITY. Whenever possible, each provision in the Plan and
every Award at any time granted under the Plan shall be interpreted in such a
manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision
of the Plan or any Award at any time granted under the Plan shall be held to be
prohibited or invalid under applicable law, then (a) such provision shall be
deemed amended to accomplish the objectives of the provision as originally
written to the fullest extent permitted by law and (b) all other provisions of
the Plan and every other Award at any time granted under the Plan shall remain
in full force and effect.

         12.07 NO STRICT CONSTRUCTION. No rule of strict construction shall be
implied against the Company, the Administrator, or any other person in the
interpretation of any of the terms of the Plan, any Award granted under the Plan
or any rule or procedure established by the Administrator.

         12.08 CHOICE OF LAW. All determinations made and actions taken pursuant
to the Plan shall be governed by the laws of Michigan and construed in
accordance therewith.


                                      -16-

<PAGE>   1
                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1

                [Letterhead of Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss, P.C.]





                                  July 7, 1999


Sun Communities, Inc.
31700 Middlebelt Road, Suite 145
Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334

         Re:      Sun Communities, Inc.

Gentlemen:

         We have acted as counsel to Sun Communities, Inc. (the "Company"), a
Maryland corporation, in connection with the registration by the Company of up
to 2,013,680 shares (the "Shares") of Common Stock, $.01 par value per share, to
be issued and sold by the Company from time to time pursuant to the Sun
Communities, Inc. Second Amended and Restated 1993 Stock Option Plan, as
described in the Registration Statement on Form S-8 to be filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (together with all amendments thereto, the
"Registration Statement"). As your counsel in connection with this transaction,
we have examined the proceedings taken and are familiar with the proceedings
proposed to be taken by the Company in connection with the sale and issuance of
the Shares.

         We do not purport to be experts on or to express any opinion in this
letter concerning any law other than the laws of the State of Michigan and the
General Corporation Law of Maryland, and this opinion is qualified accordingly.
This opinion is limited to matters expressly set forth in this letter, and no
opinion is to be inferred or may be implied beyond the matters expressly so
stated. In rendering the opinion contained in this letter, we have assumed
without investigation that the information supplied to us by the Company is
accurate and complete.

         Based upon and subject to the foregoing, it is our opinion that the
Shares have been duly authorized, and upon the issuance and sale thereof in the
manner referred to in the Registration Statement, will be validly issued, fully
paid and non-assessable.

         We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and further consent to the use of our name wherever it
appears in the Registration Statement.

                                Very truly yours,

                           JAFFE, RAITT, HEUER & WEISS
                            Professional Corporation

                      /s/ Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss, P.C.


<PAGE>   1
                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.2

                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS


We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration
Statement on Form S-8 of our report dated February 12, 1999, relating to the
financial statements and financial statement schedule, which appears in Sun
Communities, Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
1998.




PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP


Detroit, Michigan
July 1, 1999





© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission