Garage conversion rules in Washtenaw County, MI — sometimes called garage-to-ADU or accessory living unit conversions — govern permits, ceiling height, egress, and parking replacement.
Ann Arbor accessory buildings may not be used as sleeping rooms or dwellings, so a garage cannot simply become living space. Converting a detached garage into habitable space is only allowed as a permitted ADU meeting the city's ADU standards.
Washtenaw County does not zone land; Ann Arbor's Zoning Ordinance governs. Accessory buildings may not be used as a sleeping room or dwelling unit, and may not include utilities for both bathrooms and kitchens. A garage may be converted to living space only as an accessory dwelling unit (ADU), which is permitted on a single-family lot subject to owner-occupancy, size caps (600-800 sq ft), and a recorded deed restriction. An ADU is permitted in a legally conforming accessory building constructed before December 31, 2016, or a larger existing accessory building may be replaced or modified into a conforming ADU. Building permits are required. Ypsilanti and townships set their own conversion rules.
Illegally converted garages used as unpermitted dwellings are zoning violations subject to municipal civil infraction fines, correction orders, and required housing inspections.
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