This is a guide to who to ask, not legal advice. Rules and fees change, and each city and township sets its own. Confirm with the office named below before work starts.
Step 1: find out who owns your road
Every public road in the county belongs to one of three owners.
| If you live | The road usually belongs to | Ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Inside a city or village, such as Flint, Burton, Grand Blanc, Fenton, Davison, Flushing, Swartz Creek or Clio | The city or village | The public works or building department |
| In a township, such as Flint Township, Grand Blanc Township, Mundy, Genesee, Fenton Township or Vienna | The Genesee County Road Commission. Michigan townships do not own roads. | The Road Commission's permit department |
| On a state highway, such as M-15, M-21, M-54 or M-57, in a city or a township | The State of Michigan | The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) |
Not sure whether you are in the city or the township? Your property tax bill names it. The mailing address does not settle it, since a "Flint" or "Fenton" address can be in any of several townships.
Private roads, including many lake roads and the streets inside some condominium developments, belong to the owners or the association. Their rules apply, and no road agency permit is needed for the approach.
Step 2: ask about the approach
The approach is the section between the street and your property line, including any public sidewalk it crosses. A permit is normally required to build, widen or replace it, because it sits on public land and affects drainage and the curb. Typical conditions include:
- A minimum thickness, often six inches, since it carries every vehicle that turns in
- A maximum width at the street
- A culvert of a set size where there is a roadside ditch
- An inspection before the concrete is poured
The Genesee County Road Commission publishes its driveway permit requirements at gcrc.org. In the City of Flint, the code requires a permit for sidewalk and approach work and requires it to be done by a contractor who is licensed and bonded with the city.
Step 3: check the part on your own lot
Replacing a driveway in the same place and at the same size often needs no building permit. These changes can need a zoning permit or review:
- Widening the driveway or adding a parking pad, especially in the front yard
- Paving close to a property line
- Adding hard surface on a lakefront lot or in a floodplain
- Any slab that will have a building on it
If you have a homeowner association, its approval is separate from the city's or township's, and you may need both.
Step 4: MISS DIG
Michigan law requires anyone digging to contact MISS DIG 811 at least three business days beforehand so that buried gas, electric, water and cable lines can be marked. It is free. Your contractor normally makes the request. You can check that it was done, or make one yourself, at missdig811.org or by calling 811.
Who pulls the permit?
Usually the contractor, with the fee passed on in the quote. Ask two questions when you get your estimate: "Is the permit included?" and "Are you set up to work in the right-of-way here?" A contractor who works in your town regularly will know both answers straight away.
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