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

West Bloomfield Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Demolition of single-family homes, garages and accessory structures inside West Bloomfield charter township (demolition only; not new construction)

  • Permit application fee and minimum permit fee schedule apply to demolition.
  • Also requires utility shut-off notices, water/sewer cap permit, well abandonment permit from Oakland County Health Department, septic tank removal permit through the township, insurance binder, state building or demolition license copy, mortgage survey or site plan, and adjacent-owner notification.

  demolition permit application fee: 150 USD

  “DEMOLITION REQUIREMENTS DEMOLITION OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, GARAGES AND ACCESSORY STRUCTURES 1. $150.00 permit application fee required.”

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  Septic and private well work inside West Bloomfield charter township: Oakland County Health Department handles well abandonment permits; the township handles septic tank removal permits and runs a septic and well program

  • Based on the township demolition checklist and engineering page; the record does not establish which agency issues permits for installing a new septic system.
  • The township program listing covers septic transfer evaluation, time-of-sale program, and plugging abandoned wells.

  “5. Well abandonment permit from Oakland County Health Department. 6. Septic tank must be emptied, crushed and filled, permit required through township.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Removing a septic tank during demolition of a home in West Bloomfield charter township (tank must be emptied, crushed and filled)

  • Applies to demolition-related septic tank removal only; not a permit for installing a new septic system.

  “6. Septic tank must be emptied, crushed and filled, permit required through township.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Private connections to township water supply and sanitary sewer mains (Ordinance C-825, Article I, Sec. 24-5(a)) inside West Bloomfield charter township

  • Quoted rule governs connections to main improvements; it requires township acceptance of the improvement before any private connection is made.
  • Sec. 24-1 states that private connections to the sanitary sewer system are made at the sewer main and that the fittings are the owner's responsibility.
  • The excerpted ordinance does not state a mandatory connection requirement for a new home or a distance-from-main rule; those were not located within the research budget.

  “No private connection to the Township water supply and/or sanitary sewer main shall be made until the improvement has been accepted by the Township as a public utility and all requirements of this Chapter have been met.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Demolition permit fees for single-family residences, garages and accessory structures inside West Bloomfield charter township (demolition only)

  • Fee is a stated minimum for single-family residences; the checklist lists separate fees for residential accessory structures that were not reached in the excerpt.
  • General construction permit fee schedule was not located.

  single family residence demolition permit fee (minimum): >= 200 USD

  “A. Single Family Residences, each (minimum) $200”

• Permit processPartial

  Demolition permit application requirements inside West Bloomfield charter township (demolition only)

  • Lists required application items for demolition; the general construction permit process was not located.

  “8. Copy of State of Michigan Building and/or Demolition License.”

Rules another office applies inside West Bloomfield Township

West 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.

• Well permitRequired

  Abandoning a private well during demolition inside West Bloomfield charter township (Oakland County Health Department permit; applies inside the township, not countywide)

  • Applies to well abandonment only; the township checklist does not state the permit rule for drilling a new well.
  • Scope set to district-specific because the schema does not allow county scope with municipality-specific geography; the rule-maker is Oakland County Health Department.

  “5. Well abandonment permit from Oakland County Health Department.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from licensing or permit rules inside West Bloomfield charter township
• Building code adopted — Building code adopted for construction inside West Bloomfield charter township
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside West Bloomfield charter township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings inside West Bloomfield charter township
• Local zoning — Whether West Bloomfield charter township adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance for land inside its limits

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 West 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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