Building Official and Zoning Administrator: Rob Kehoe

phone: (810) 516-1191

email: bldoff3889@aol.com

About Building and Zoning Responsibilities

The City of Laingsburg is governed by ordinances and plans that propose the orderly development of land, capital improvements and concentration of different land uses.  The City is granted these privileges under State’s Municipal Planning Act, Public Act 207 of 1921.  In general, planning and zoning are closely related and regulate development – from residential to industrial. Zoning controls the intensity and type of development allowed in specific areas of the City. 

It is important that prior to purchasing, developing or altering property, that City Zoning Codes and Plans are referenced.   Before changes can take place, a site plan or other request may have to be made to the City Planning Commission or a variance may be required from the Board of Appeals on Zoning.  City staff acts as the liaison between residents and the City Planning Commission and Board of Appeals on Zoning.  Many residents and developers find it helpful to meet with City Staff prior to any improvements in order to determine if the City’s zoning code or the State’s building code will require any modifications or improvements.

If you are interested in meeting with City Staff to learn about the requirements for new development, construction, and renovation the City encourages you to schedule a preliminary design or conceptual review. These meetings are available at no cost and can help to significantly reduce the lead time for future permitting, planning or zoning requests! The City has developed a meeting procedure form and checklist that will help you gather and organize information for the meeting. This document can be found below titled “Conceptual Review Guidelines and Checklist.”

For more detailed information, please view the City of Laingsburg Guide to Planning and Zoning (PDF) — currently available through City Hall.   

Master Plan Documents

Please contact City Hall for information at this time.  Check back soon for links to these documents.

Master Plan

Application for Code Appeal

APPLICANT’S PROCESS FOR SUBMITTAL OF CONSTRUCTION BOARD OF APPEALS HEARING

In accordance with 1972 PA230, a party may file an appeal with the jurisdiction’s building code authority if the jurisdiction refuses to grant application for building permit, or if the jurisdiction makes any other decision pursuant to or related to the act or code, or to request a specific variance from the code. Application submittals shall include a completed appeal application with all applicable information provided, the signature of the applicant, date of application, and include applicant’s supporting documentation showing the reasons for request of appeal. Complete submittals will be processed promptly and a meeting of the City of Laingsburg Construction Board of Appeals will be scheduled in accordance with the Act. Incomplete applications shall be returned to the applicant for completion, and will delay scheduling of the appeal meeting.  1972 PA230 allows the Construction Board of Appeals the ability to “grant a specific variance to a substantive requirement of the code if the literal application of the substantive requirement would result in an exceptional practical difficulty to the applicant, and if both of the following requirements are satisfied:

The performance of the particular item or part of the building or structure with respect to which the variance is granted shall be adequate for its intended use and shall not substantially deviate from performance required by the code of that particular item or part for the health, safety and welfare of the people of this state.

 The specific condition justifying the variance shall be neither as general nor recurrent in nature as to make an amendment of the code with respect to the condition reasonable, practical or desirable”.

**The Construction Board of Appeals does not have the authority to override, amend or delete sections of the code(s) in the process of forming a decision on a filed appeal. The Construction Board of Appeals can consider alternate or equivalent methods being proposed to meet the intent of the code(s).