Land Use Permit Process & Forms - Commercial/Industrial
Planning and zoning staff may be contacted by phone at (810) 231-1000, ext. 222 or by email:
- David Rohr, Planning & Zoning Director
- Ted Michowski, Code Enforcement Officer
- Lisa Perschke, Planning/Zoning Coordinator
- planning@hamburg.mi.us General Planning/Zoning Dept email
Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 am to 5 pm
Mail documents to the following address (via USPS):
Hamburg Township
ATTN: Planning and Zoning Department
P.O. Box 157
Hamburg, MI 48139
When submitting documents for site plan review, you will need to submit the following:
*Complete Land Use Permit Application Form - First, you will need to complete a Hamburg Township Land Use Permit. Note: There are permits for residential and permits for commercial/industrial.
Second, once you get your approved, paid land use permit, you will fill out Livingston County Building Department Building Permit here. The county will require you to show your approved township land use permit and stamped plans before applying for any permits with their office at 2300 E Grand River Ave. Suite 104, Howell, MI 48843.
Completing A Land Use Permit requires:
1. Hamburg Township Land Use Permit Application - (see link above). This Land Use Permit Application Form must be completely filled out with the following information:- Top line (PROJECT ADDRESS) -should have address or Parcel ID#
- Second section (OWNER) -should have the parcel owner’s contact information filled out.
- Third section (CONTRACTOR) -should have the contractor's contact information filled out.
- Last section (DESCRIBE WORK TO BE DONE) -should give as much detail as possible about work to be completed. If an air conditioner, a generator, or a fountain will be put in during the house build, please make note in this area that this will be installed and show where the unit will be installed on the site plan. We need to know where these units are being proposed to ensure they met our side, rear and front yard setbacks.
- For Residential projects (only 3 copies of each submittal are needed). Full-sized building plans need to be sent to Planning/Zoning Dept at planning@hamburg.mi.us.
- But for Commercial projects (4 copies of each submittal, and 1 electronic copy are needed with fire approval). Please email to Planning/Zoning Dept at planning@hamburg.mi.us.
2. Project plans (work to be done) must contain:
- front, side and rear elevations,
- floor plan,
- foundation plan,
- window and door placement,
- types of construction materials
- cross sections as required by code,
- electrical, plumbing and heating/air-conditioning detailing (specification sheets for mechanical equipment)
- re-roofing, plumbing or electrical, a description of work and list of materials is usually sufficient.
3. Site plan of the parcel where work is to be done, with distance details showing the locations of ALL items below:
- existing structures onsite (shed, decks, porches, driveways, etc.)
- Septic tank and leachate field,
- the wells onsite
- grinder pump
- sewer lateral line easement to street,
- alleys and roadways
- lakes and river bodies of water
- a legend with directional NORTH
- dimensions of structures with the yard setback measurements for front, rear, and both side yards from these structures.
- distance between structures, especially to ones being proposed.
- If you are building a new home, or rebuilding within 400 ft. of a sewer line, you will need to call Brittany Campbell, the Utilities Coordinator, at (810) 231-1000 (Ext. 210) to ensure you have applied for and paid all sewer and water tap fees. These fees must be paid before your land use permit can be approved. Note: all construction and development must be at least 7.5 ft. from the grinder pump and sewer service easement.
Note: It is important to know what Zoning District your parcel is in, to know what your required yard setbacks, maximum lot coverage, etc. that is found in our Zoning Regulations (Ordinance) here. Each zoning district has its own individual requirements and allowable uses. Also, you should know if you are in a wetland and/or in the FEMA 100-year flood zone. Livingston County GIS map can help you determine this here. We rely on property owners in providing us with where their property lines are located. If you do not know exactly where your property lines are please considered obtaining a boundary survey including location of structures on the lot. Click here for a list of area surveyors.
4. ALL Contractors are required to provide a notarized letter of permission from homeowner, a copy of signed contract between contractor and the homeowner, or the Homeowner Letter of Authorization Form.
5. Payment fee for land use permit. Each project has a different fee so it is best to review the varied fee schedule here to know how much to include for the permit you are applying for. Payment with check through postal mail or check, cash, or credit card payment in person at the Township Hall.
6. The Zoning Administrator may, at their discretion, require further documentation, if deemed necessary.
- If you are in a designated floodplain area or on the Huron River, you will/may be required to submit a copy of your M-EGLE permit (Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy), and/or an Elevation Certificate that reflect the elevations on your construction plans. If you are required to submit and Elevation Certificate at construction, you will also need to provide a completed Elevation Certificate at foundation and final construction from a local surveyor.
- See list of area surveyors. If you are in a wetland, you will need a wetland delineation from a wetland environmental specialist. Here is a list of local environmental consultants:
- ASTI of Brighton: (810) 225-2800
- Certus Environmental Group: (517) 376-2270
- EGLE/DEQ- Jeff Pierce: (517) 416-4297
- Metro Consulting Associates: (800) 525-6016
- Livingston Engineering: (810) 225-7100
- Washtenaw Engineering: (734) 761-8800
7. Ways to Apply for Land Use Permit:
- fill out the land use permit application in person at the Township Hall and submitting all above items. Pay appropriate land use permit fee either with a check made out to “Hamburg Township”, cash, or a credit card. Completely fill out one copy of the Hamburg Township Land Use Permit Application, but make 3 copies of all other submittals (one set for Hamburg, and two sets for Livingston County Building Dept.) that can be "red stamped".
- fill the application out, sending it through postal mail with a check made out to “Hamburg Township” for the correct land use permit fee, to: Hamburg Township, ATTN: Zoning Department, P.O. Box 157, Hamburg, MI 48139. For small projects, we only need one set of submittals (if you are sending through postal mail) since we will scan the stamped copy and email it back to you once received, approved and paid for. Make sure to include your email address on your land use permit application.
- Currently, there are no available online options to pay for land use permits.
8. You might be required to leave your land use application and project submittals here for a period of time so we can review the project. Your paperwork will be processed through the appropriate departments. Our inspector might need to go out to do a site inspection. You may need to stake out building projects such as a home, garages, decks, patios, pools, or any other structure that involves property lines and structures. You do not need to be home for us to do our inspection.
9. Once the inspection is completed, and your project plans have been approved, we will call you to let you know. You will need to come back to the Planning & Zoning Dept. to sign your completed land use permit, pay the appropriate land use permit fee with the treasurer, and take your (2) stamped plans from the Planning & Zoning Department (that you will need to take over to the Livingston County Building Dept. in Howell) If you have any questions, please call the Planning and Zoning Office at (810) 222-1166.
10. You will take your Hamburg land use permit along with your (2) red stamped copies of your approved submittals to the Livingston County Building Department which is located at 2300 E. Grand River Ave., Howell, MI 48843. If you have any questions, please call them at (517) 546-3240 or visit their website at https://www.livgov.com/building. At this point you will work with Livingston County Building and Health Departments until you are finished with your project. The actual building inspections required under the state construction building codes are completed by the Livingston County Building Department.
Remember, NO WORK CAN BE STARTED UNTIL YOU HAVE A Hamburg Township Land Use Permit and a BUILDING PERMIT FROM LIVINGSTON COUNTY!
Zoning Amendment, Special Use Permit, & Site Plan Review Forms:
In Michigan, if a Special Use Permit is needed, then a Site Plan Review is also required.
1-12-2024 LDP