Timeline for Permit Approval

Residential

Under normal conditions, every attempt will be made to issue residential permits within 3 business days after the Building Department has received and approved a properly filled out application and any accompanying required documentation.

However, if the project is in the city’s floodplain areas, it will take longer and require Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment (MDNRE) permits, elevation certificates, a site plan with elevations on it, and possibly a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). A LOMA is a document issued by FEMA that officially removes a property and/or structure from the special flood hazard area of a community - an area that has a 1% or greater chance of flooding in a given year.

If you are not sure if your property is in a flood hazard area of the city, contact the Building Department at 989-837-3383 or the Planning and Community Development Department at 989-837-3374 for that information.

Commercial

Every effort will be made to issue a permit for commercial projects within 3 weeks of receipt of all appropriate permit applications, plans and specifications and site plans. Again, this is if all documents are completed properly and approved by the Building Department and any other City departments that may be involved in the application review process. The Utilities Division and/or the Fire, Engineering, Planning, and Building departments review commercial project plans for compliance with such things as zoning and land use regulations (Planning), storm water detention and control (Engineering) rules, and fire safety regulations (Fire), to name a few.

Permits are not issued until all appropriate departments have reviewed and approved their aspect of the project.