Filming & Production in Sterling Heights, MI

If you live in Sterling Heights or are thinking about moving there, filming & production are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Sterling Heights has 4 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of filming & production, and some of them might surprise you.

Production Noise

Sterling Heights lets the Film Office restrict noisy filming activity under Code of Ordinances § 12-160(A), covering gunfire, sirens, public address systems, bull horns, and other loud noise generated during a permitted shoot. The restriction applies as a condition attached to a film permit rather than a blanket ban, and violating an imposed condition can lead to permit revocation and prosecution.

Key details: Governing condition: § 12-160(A), Noise. Restricted sounds: gunfire, sirens, PA systems, bull horns. Imposed by: Film Office as permit condition. Enforcement tool: permit revocation, § 12-167(A). Revocation length: 1 year permit ban.

A permit is subject to revocation under § 12-167(A) if the permittee violates or fails to comply with any term or condition of the film permit, including a noise restriction imposed under § 12-160(A). Revocation runs by certified mail with appeal rights attached, bars new permits for one year, and any violation of the article or its permit conditions is separately punishable under Chapter 1 of the city code per § 12-167(E).

Location Permits

Sterling Heights requires a Film Office permit for any commercial filming outside an enclosed studio, with fees covering staff time and public-property use.

Key details: Permitting office: City Film Office. Exempt locations: Studios, enclosed structures. Fees: Processing fee + property-use fee. Residential notice: 300-ft radius if residential.

Filming without the required permit is unlawful under § 12-152; the ordinance's fees and conditions are separate from and in addition to any other city business licenses.

Compared to other cities, Sterling Heights takes a harder line on location permits. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Street Closures

Sterling Heights bars anyone from closing a city street or alley for filming, or parking vehicles and equipment on one, without city authorization under Code of Ordinances § 12-166(A)-(B). A street or alley closure additionally requires signed approval from at least 70% of the adjacent dwelling units and businesses, submitted to the Film Office 48 hours before the closure.

Key details: Street closure rule: § 12-166(A), city authorization required. Parking rule: § 12-166(B), no unpermitted parking. Neighbor approval: 70% of adjacent units, 48 hrs prior. Sign posting: 24 hrs prior, § 12-166(C). Wet-down roadway: professional lane closure required, § 12-166(E).

Closing a street or alley without authorization, or parking or staging equipment on one without a permit, violates § 12-166 and is punishable under Chapter 1 of the city code per § 12-167(E). It can also support revocation of the entire film permit under § 12-167(A) for failing to comply with a permit term or condition, mailed to the permittee by certified mail with appeal rights and a one-year bar on new permits.

Compared to other cities, Sterling Heights takes a harder line on street closures. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Student Filming

Sterling Heights exempts student films from its Film Permit Ordinance under Code of Ordinances § 12-153(H), but only when the production does not use or affect public ways and is not shot outdoors in a residential area. A student film is defined in § 12-154 as a motion picture or video production by a school or college student, made for academic credit, from which no profit is taken.

Key details: Exemption source: § 12-153(H). Student film definition: § 12-154, for academic credit. Exemption lost if: filming affects public ways. Exemption lost if: shot outdoors in residential zone. Permit needed then: apply through Film Office.

A student production that loses its exemption by filming on a public way or outdoors in a residential area without first obtaining a permit is subject to the same enforcement as any unpermitted filming: it is unlawful under § 12-152, punishable under Chapter 1 of the city code per § 12-167(E), and a city official may order the filming to stop on the spot, with continued filming after that order treated as a separate misdemeanor.

The rules around student filming in Sterling Heights lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

The Bottom Line

Sterling Heights is tougher than many cities when it comes to filming & production. Out of the 4 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Sterling Heights, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

These rules come from Sterling Heights's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.