Farmington Hills, MI Accessory Structures: Tiny Homes (2026)

Farmington Hills' Chapter 34 Zoning Ordinance does not include a tiny-home category. To be a legal permanent dwelling in a single-family district (RA-1 through RA-4), a structure must meet the minimum floor-area requirements of the underlying district — which are typically 1,000+ sq ft for the smallest single-family districts and substantially larger in low-density residential zones (RE-1 and similar). Most tiny homes (commonly 100-400 sq ft) fall below these minimums and would not be permitted as a principal dwelling. The Michigan Residential Code (adopted by the State and enforced through Chapter 7 of the City Code) sets minimum room sizes, ceiling heights, egress, and habitable-space requirements that also must be met. Tiny houses on wheels (THOWs) are titled as recreational vehicles under Michigan law and cannot be used as a permanent dwelling on a residential lot — RV storage in residential zones is governed by Sec. 34-5.7 (recreational equipment), which restricts where RVs may be parked and prohibits occupancy as a dwelling. The state does not preempt local minimum-dwelling-size rules and has no tiny-home enabling statute. Operators interested in tiny living in Farmington Hills generally must either (a) seek a use variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals (rarely granted), (b) build a structure that meets the full minimum floor area of the district, or (c) explore RV-park siting elsewhere in Oakland County. The 2025-2026 Housing Forward Act bills (HB 5529-5532, HB 5585) would, if enacted, lower minimum lot sizes and authorize ADUs but do not specifically legalize tiny homes as principal dwellings.