Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Luna Pier, Michigan

Luna Pier’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, remodeling and improvements inside Luna Pier city, including re-roofing and siding

  • Construction may proceed after the permit is issued; the city advises calling the building department first to confirm whether a permit is required.
  • Ordinance 187 bars construction without a valid building permit issued for the premises.
  • Work in the road right-of-way needs a separate review and permit.

  “most construction, remodeling and improvements require a permit, including re-roofing and siding.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction in Luna Pier city: 2015 Michigan Residential Code (residential) and 2015 Michigan code (other projects)

  • Building department page states the codes in effect; the adoption ordinance was not opened.
  • Ordinance 187 enforces the state construction code and other codes within the city.

  “the 2015 michigan residential code is now in effect. this code now includes new energy code requirements (chapter 11).”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Luna Pier city limits (Monroe County, Michigan)

  • City-adopted Zoning Ordinance 211, updated May 17, 2024, is posted on the city's Building & Zoning page; the county's zoning does not govern land inside the city.

  “zoning ordinance 211 updated may 17, 2024-final updated zoning map official revised 2022”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts for land inside Luna Pier city

  • The official zoning map is posted as a separate document (revised 2022) and was not opened; districts named here come from the ordinance's Article 18 schedule.

  “section 1800 standards limiting height, bulk, density, and area by zoning district r-1 r-2 one-family residential one-family residential”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwelling units in Luna Pier city (minimum width)

  • Quoted as a general provision in Zoning Ordinance 211; the text sits in the Article 17 area before section 1801. Exact section number not confirmed.

  minimum width of single-family dwelling unit: >= 24 ft

  “the minimum width of a single family dwelling unit shall be twenty-four (24) feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family residential lots in Luna Pier city: R-1 (6,600 sq ft, 60 ft width), R-2 (5,400 sq ft, 45 ft width), and R-3 (4,500 sq ft, 50 ft width) one-family residential districts, per dwelling unit

  • Footnote (a) follows each value and was not read; the table text extraction is garbled, so column alignment is inferred from the order of the headers.
  • Section 1801 (averaged lot size) and section 1802 (open space preservation) allow lot-size averaging and reductions under stated conditions; not applied here.

  minimum zoning lot size per dwelling unit, R-1: >= 6600 sq ft (footnote (a) not read) · minimum lot width, R-1: >= 60 ft (footnote (a) not read) · minimum zoning lot size per dwelling unit, R-2: >= 5400 sq ft (footnote (a) not read) · minimum lot width, R-2: >= 45 ft (footnote (a) not read) · minimum zoning lot size per dwelling unit, R-3: >= 4500 sq ft (footnote (a) not read) · minimum lot width, R-3: >= 50 ft (footnote (a) not read)

  “minimum zoning lot size per dwelling unit area in width sq. ft. in ft. 6,600 (a) 60 (a) 5,400 (a) 45 (a) r-3 one-family residential 4,500 (a) 50 (a)”

• Building heightSpecified

  One-family residential districts R-1, R-2 and R-3 in Luna Pier city: maximum height of structures 30 feet

  • Height row of the Article 18 table; footnote-free value, but the column alignment is inferred from the table layout.
  • Section 1909 (height limit) and Article 33 (alternative energy structures, e.g., wind systems) set separate rules not analyzed here.

  maximum height of structures, R-1, R-2, R-3: <= 30 ft (see section 1909 height limit, not read)

  “maximum height of structures (in ft.) 30 30 30”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permit fees in Luna Pier city

  • Fees follow the current state of Michigan fee chart; the city's own building or zoning fee schedule was not located.
  • Ordinance 216 amended section 6 of Ordinance 192 and was adopted April 25, 2013.

  “section 6: electrical, plumbing, and mechanical fees shall be charged at the current rate as published on the fee chart of the respective state of michigan”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Luna Pier or Monroe County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption in Luna Pier city
• Inspections — Building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical inspections inside Luna Pier city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new construction in Luna Pier city
• Setbacks — Yard setbacks for Luna Pier city residential districts
• Lot coverage — Maximum percent of lot area covered by buildings in Luna Pier city districts

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.