Building Inspector

The Inspection Department processes all permits and performs all inspections for Building, Electrical, Mechanical and Plumbing activities within the City.

Address: 700 Broad Street
Phone: (269) 983-1212
Fax: (269) 985-0347

The Inspection Department also processes all Zoning activities.

• Conditional Use Permit - Short Term Rental (PDF)
• Sign Permit Application (PDF)
• Mechanical Permit (PDF)
• Electrical Permit(PDF)
• Plumbing Permit (PDF)
• Building Permit (PDF)
     - Homeowner Building Permit Policy (PDF)

               - When do you need a building permit? (PDF)

• Required Submittals for a Residential Construction Building Permit (PDF)
• Residential Fences – A 4-step process to building a fence (PDF)
• Residential Sheds – A 3-step process to obtaining a shed permit (PDF)
• Building Permit Fees (PDF)
• Downtown Dumpster Permit Form (PDF)
• Dumpster Permit (PDF)
• Pre-Demolition Utility Disconnect Form (PDF)

Note: PDFs are printable forms that can be opened on any computer. If you need to download the reader please visit the Adobe Reader website.

Fee Schedule.  Some permits will include fees.  To view the Building Permit Fee Schedule, please click on it. 

Building Permits must be obtained from the Inspection Department before beginning any construction, remodeling, mechanical, electrical, or plumbing work valued in excess of $100. Purely cosmetic (non-structural) changes such as painting are exempt.

Rental Permits: Administration, scheduling, and inspection of all rental properties. See Rental Inspection Ordinance, Rental Registration for Short Term Rental (Fillable) Form, and Rental Registration for Minimum One Month Stay Rental (Fill In) Form.  

Tenants: If you are the tenant of a rental property, please contact this department if you have any property maintenance concerns involving your apartment. (i.e. no heat, no hot water, etc.) We will contact the landlord on your behalf to ensure that any code violations are corrected promptly.

Inspection Department 

The City will be enforcing the following codes:

• 2015 Michigan Building Code
• 2015 Michigan Residential Code
• 2017 Michigan Electrical Code Part 8 (NFPA 70 2017)
• 2015 Michigan Mechanical Code
• 2015 Michigan Plumbing Code
• 2015 Michigan Energy Code
• 2009 Uniform Fire Code
• 2015 International Property Maintenance Code

You may purchase code books directly from the State of Michigan:

Michigan Department of Consumer & Industry Services
Bureau of Construction Codes
P.O. Box 30255, Lansing, MI 48909
(517) 241-9313

With the building boom still in full swing, Building Department employees are working hard to keep up with the inspection requests, plan reviews, permit issuances, code questions, etc.

To cut down on delays, please be sure to include ALL necessary documentation when submitting plans for review. For Building Permits, please be sure to include two sets of blueprints.

If you have any questions about these topics, please contact the City and we will be happy to help you.

Property Maintenance Program 

The Property Maintenance Program is designed to be implemented over a rotating 6-year period, with different neighborhoods of the City being inspected each year.  Within the focus area, the Code Enforcement Officer inspects every property and identifies those which have deficiencies, as defined by the 2015 International Property Maintenance Code.  It is the stated intent of this code to "ensure the public health, safety and welfare insofar as they are affected by the continued occupancy and maintenance of structures and premises.  Structures and premises that do not comply with these provisions are required to be altered or repaired to provide a minimum level of health and safety."

Update of the 2019 Property Maintenance Program - Focus Area 5

For detailed information about the 2019 Property Maintenance Program, please click on it.

To view the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC 2015), please click on this link https://codes.iccsafe.org/public/document/IPMC2015

To complete a Property Maintenance Board of Appeals Application, please click on it. 

To view the Focus Area Map of the entire city, please click on it. 

To view the Property Maintenance Board of Appeals 2019 Meeting Schedule, please click on it. 

To view the Property Maintenance Issue Complaint form, please click on it. 

To complete a Construction Board of Appeals Application, please click on it.

For specific questions about the Property Maintenance Program, please contact Joan Ross at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..