Farmington Hills Bylaws: Brownfields, EIR & Energy Codes

Environmental Protection Michigan 4 Minutes Read ยท published March 08, 2026 Flag of Michigan

Farmington Hills, Michigan requires developers, property owners and contractors to follow local ordinances and building rules for Project EIRs, brownfield redevelopment and energy-code compliance. This guide explains where the rules live, who enforces them, typical penalties and the practical steps to apply, appeal or report noncompliance, with links to official city sources for code text, building-permit procedures and the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority.[1][2][3]

Overview

The City of Farmington Hills enforces its Code of Ordinances, building and permit requirements, and local boards or authorities that manage brownfield incentives. Projects that may trigger environmental review, redevelopment incentives, or energy-code inspections typically interact with the Building Services, Planning and Economic Development offices.

Project Environmental Impact Review (EIR)

Farmington Hills does not publish a standalone "EIR" regime on the municipal code separate from state and local site-plan and environmental review procedures; environmental review steps are integrated into planning and site-plan approvals under the city code and planning processes. For procedural requirements, applicants should consult the Planning Department and the Code of Ordinances for specific site-plan or special-land-use review paths.[1]

Contact Planning early to confirm whether an environmental review is required for your proposal.

Brownfields & Redevelopment

Brownfield redevelopment in Farmington Hills is coordinated through the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and the Planning/Economic Development office. The Authority evaluates requests for tax increment financing, brownfield plans and eligibility for state brownfield grants or incentives. Applications and meetings follow the Authority's procedural rules posted by the city.[3]

Apply to the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority before finalizing financing to avoid delays.

Energy Codes & Building Permits

Building permits, inspections and energy-code compliance are administered through the City Building Services division. Farmington Hills enforces the adopted Michigan building and energy codes via its permit process; applicants must submit plans showing compliance with applicable energy-efficiency provisions and obtain a building permit before starting work.[2]

Penalties & Enforcement

The city enforces code violations through fines, stop-work orders, permit revocations and civil enforcement. Specific monetary penalties and escalation language are set in the Code of Ordinances sections governing building, housing and nuisances; where the municipal code does not list exact amounts on the cited summary page, the text is described as "not specified on the cited page" and the full code section should be consulted.[1]

  • Fines: monetary penalties are established in ordinance sections by topic; specific amounts are not specified on the cited summary page for all topics, so consult the code section directly for exact figures.
  • Escalation: first, repeat and continuing offences are treated under escalating enforcement provisions; ranges or daily continuing fines are specified where noted in each ordinance or cited section, otherwise not specified on the cited page.
  • Non-monetary sanctions: stop-work orders, permit suspension or revocation, orders to abate, site remediation directives and referral to municipal court.
  • Enforcer: Building Services, Planning and Code Enforcement administer inspections and orders; complaints may be submitted via the city's contact pages referenced below.
  • Appeals: appeal routes vary by ordinance (planning commission, city council or municipal court); specified time limits for appeals are set in each ordinance or appeal rule and should be verified in the cited code or department rule (if no time limit appears on the cited page, state "not specified on the cited page").
If a fine amount or appeal deadline is not shown where cited, obtain the exact code section or contact the department for written confirmation.

Applications & Forms

The city posts building-permit applications, planning application forms and brownfield plan submission instructions on the Building Services and Brownfield Authority pages. Fees, form names and submission methods are published by the respective city departments; where a specific form number or fee is not listed on the cited page, that item is described as "not specified on the cited page."[2]

How-To

  1. Prepare plans showing compliance with applicable energy-code provisions and the city zoning/site-plan requirements.
  2. Submit permit and planning applications to Building Services and Planning; include brownfield plan materials to the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority if seeking incentives.
  3. Attend required reviews, respond to inspection reports, and if fined, follow appeal instructions within the ordinance time limits or file for review with the designated board or municipal court.
Keep complete records of submissions, inspections and communications to support appeals or variance requests.

FAQ

When is an environmental review or EIR required for a project in Farmington Hills?
Environmental review is integrated with planning and site-plan approvals; contact Planning to determine if a standalone EIR is required for your project.[1]
Who handles brownfield redevelopment incentives?
The Farmington Hills Brownfield Redevelopment Authority reviews eligibility, plans and financing for brownfield projects.[3]
Where do I get energy-code and building-permit guidance?
Building Services manages permits and enforces adopted energy codes; submit plans and applications to Building Services for review.[2]

Key Takeaways

  • Consult Building Services and Planning early to confirm energy-code and environmental-review requirements.
  • Brownfield incentives require Authority review and coordinated submissions.
  • Penalties include fines and stop-work orders; check the specific ordinance for exact amounts and appeal deadlines.

Help and Support / Resources

  1. [1] Farmington Hills Code of Ordinances
  2. [2] City of Farmington Hills - Building Services
  3. [3] Brownfield Redevelopment Authority - Farmington Hills

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