Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Bloomfield Township, Michigan

Bloomfield Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New residential and commercial construction and listed work inside Bloomfield Charter Township.

  • The cited Township rule includes construction greater than $50 in value.
  • Approvals from associations, variances, and other agencies may be required before issuance.

  construction-value threshold: > 50 USD (For construction otherwise described by the Township FAQ.)

  “New residential and commercial construction, demolition, accessory structures, any interior renovations which involve the removal/addition of walls, gypsum board, kitchen remodel, and any construction to structures greater than a $50 value require a building permit.”

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  Homeowners applying for a building permit inside Bloomfield Charter Township.

  • The permit holder is responsible for code-compliant construction.
  • A Homeowners Affidavit must be signed.
  • The Township recommends issuing the permit to a Michigan-licensed builder if one is hired.

  “Yes, however the permit holder is responsible for the work to be constructed in compliance to the codes and a Homeowners Affidavit must be signed. If a state of Michigan licensed builder is hired by the homeowner, then we recommend the permit be issued to the licensed builder.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Work performed under a Township building permit inside Bloomfield Charter Township.

  • Inspections are permit-specific and dependent on scope of work.
  • Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits must be inspected and approved before rough-frame and final-building inspections.
  • Plans must be available at the job site for inspection.

  “It is the responsibility of the permit holder to ensure that all work is inspected prior to covering. This list is to be used as a guide.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  A building or structure inside Bloomfield Charter Township for any use requiring a building permit.

  • All permitted work must have approved final inspection before issuance.

  “All permitted work must have an approved final inspection before the issuance of a certificate of occupancy. The Certificate of Occupancy application is available here. No building or structure shall be occupied by or for any use for which a building permit is required until a certificate of occupancy has been issued.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land and development inside Bloomfield Charter Township.

  • The Township page says the ordinance was amended through April 27, 2025.

  “Bloomfield Township was one of the first in the State to transform its traditional zoning ordinances into a concise, user-friendly, and highly-illustrated digital format known as Clearzoning.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Bloomfield Charter Township.

  • The Township directs users to its adopted zoning ordinance and publishes a zoning map.
  • District-specific controls must be checked in the ordinance.

  “Then, with one more click, the setback, area and height regulations for that district are displayed in both text and graphic form.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision plat review and lot splits inside Bloomfield Charter Township.

  • The posted fee schedule provides separate review charges for subdivision plats and lot splits.
  • Consultant and other Township-department review costs may be additional where applicable.

  subdivision plat review fee: 2050 USD (Plus $25 per lot; schedule states included departmental fees.) · per-lot subdivision review fee: per 25 USD (Subdivision plat review.)

  “Subdivision (Plat) Review | $2050 + $25/per lot (Includes $475 Engineering, $127 Clerk, $85 Fire and $50 Ordinance fees)”

• Driveway accessRequired

  New driveways or enlargement of an existing driveway inside Bloomfield Charter Township.

  • Walkways and patios on grade do not require a permit.
  • The Township also requires construction access drives to be installed and inspected before building-permit issuance.

  “Yes, new driveways or enlarging an existing driveway require a building permit. Walkways and patios on grade do not require a permit. There is a Driveway Information Packet available online.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Permit applications for construction inside Bloomfield Charter Township.

  • Application fees are due at submittal; an unpaid application is incomplete.
  • Plans and documentation generally require review approval before issuance.
  • Some applications require subdivision/homeowners-association, variance, Oakland County agency, soil-erosion, septic, well, or driveway-culvert approvals.
  • Soil-erosion measures and construction access drives must be installed and inspected before issuance.

  “Generally, construction plans and other documentation are necessary for review approval prior to the issuance of a permit.”

Rules another office applies inside Bloomfield Township

Bloomfield Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  State Construction Codes as enforced for construction inside Bloomfield Charter Township.

  • The Township identifies Building, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, and Barrier Free codes.
  • The Township announced that new permits submitted on or after July 1, 2024 are subject to the listed 2021 Michigan Mechanical Code, 2021 Michigan Plumbing Code, and 2023 NEC with Part 8 Rules.

  “Presently, under State law, the Township is required to enforce the State Construction Codes for Building, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing and Barrier Free.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1, R-2, and R-3 One-Family Residential District parcels inside Bloomfield Charter Township.

  • A corner parcel with two street fronts is treated as having two front yards.
  • PUD and multi-family residential districts have different requirements.
  • Other restrictions are available in the Township Zoning Ordinance.

  side setback: 16 ft (R-1, R-2, and R-3 One-Family Residential Districts.) · front setback: 40 ft (A corner parcel with two street fronts requires two front setbacks.) · rear setback: 35 ft (R-1, R-2, and R-3 One-Family Residential Districts.)

  “In a R-1, R-2, and R-3 One-Family Residential District, a parcel requires 16'-0" side setbacks, 40'-0" front setback and a 35'-0" rear setback. A corner parcel with two street fronts is considered two front yards. Therefore, the two fronts are required to have 40'0" setbacks. A Planned Unit Development (PUD) and multi-family Residential Districts differ from the above setbacks. Other setback restrictions are available in the Township Zoning Ordinance.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Bloomfield Township or Oakland County directly.

• Minimum dwelling size — One-family residential districts inside Bloomfield Charter Township.
• Minimum lot size — One-family residential districts inside Bloomfield Charter Township.
• Lot coverage — Residential districts inside Bloomfield Charter Township.
• Building height — Residential districts inside Bloomfield Charter Township.
• Living in an RV — Residential occupancy of an RV on private land inside Bloomfield Charter Township.

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.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Bloomfield Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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