How Flint Handles Environmental Rules: A Practical Guide
Flint maintains 101 local ordinances across all categories, and 4 of those deal specifically with environmental rules. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Flint falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.
Flood Zones
The City of Flint requires a development permit before any construction, fill, grading or excavation in an area of special flood hazard, administered under the Flood Hazard Management Ordinance.
Key details: Permit required: Before any development in flood hazard area. Administrator: Director of Building & Safety Inspections. Basis: 1980 Flood Insurance Study/FIRM. Maximum fine: $500 per violation. Maximum jail: 90 days.
Constructing, locating, extending, converting or altering a structure or land without a development permit violates § 50-179 and is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500, up to 90 days imprisonment, or both, per violation, plus costs.
Compared to other cities, Flint takes a harder line on flood zones. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.
Flood Elevation Requirements
The City of Flint requires new and substantially improved residential structures in flood hazard areas to have the lowest floor built at or above base flood elevation, with equivalent floodproofing for nonresidential buildings.
Key details: Residential floor standard: At or above base flood elevation. Nonresidential option: Floodproofed watertight below BFE. Certification required: Registered engineer or architect. Freeboard above BFE: Not required by code. Variance body: Zoning Board of Appeals.
Constructing or substantially improving a residential or nonresidential structure below the required base flood elevation without a variance violates § 50-179 and is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500, up to 90 days imprisonment, or both.
Compared to other cities, Flint takes a harder line on flood elevation requirements. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.
Erosion Control
Before the City of Flint issues a building permit for most new development, the site plan must show drainage patterns and any structures, like fencing on unstable soils, designed to prevent erosion, under § 50-8.3(d)(36).
Key details: Governing section: § 50-8.3(d)(36). Trigger: most new building permits. Reviewing body: Planning Commission. Small-project exemption: additions under 1,500 sq ft.
Starting site-plan-triggered construction without Planning Commission approval, or submitting a plan missing the required drainage and erosion information under § 50-8.3(d)(36), blocks issuance of the building permit.
The rules around erosion control in Flint lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.
Stormwater Management
The City of Flint bans any discharge to its storm sewer system that is not entirely storm water, requiring an NPDES permit, permit-by-rule status, or a City use permit for anything else.
Key details: Core rule: Non-storm-water discharge to storm sewers banned. Authorization: NPDES permit or City use permit. Civil fine: Up to $5,000 per day. Criminal exposure: Misdemeanor for willful violations. Enforcement: City Enforcement Officer, Water Pollution Control.
Civil fines up to $5,000 per violation per day (§ 46-135); willful or knowing violations, including falsified monitoring records, are misdemeanors under § 46-137, each day a separate offense.
This is one of the stricter rules in Flint's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.
The Bottom Line
Flint is tougher than many cities when it comes to environmental rules. Out of the 4 rules covered here, 3 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Flint, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.
Keep in mind that Flint can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.