Farmington Hills's Fire Regulations: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles fire regulations a little differently. In Farmington Hills, Michigan, there are 3 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Smoke Detectors

Farmington Hills requires owners of every residential occupancy to install smoke alarms per the 2012 International Fire Code, adds a hallway alarm mandate beyond that code, and forces a swap to ten-year lithium battery alarms by July 1, 2025 in rental units under Sec. 12-15.

Key details: Applies to: Use Groups R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4. Extra local rule: Alarm required in every hallway to unit. Battery upgrade deadline: 10-year lithium alarms by July 1, 2025. Exempt from swap: Owner-occupied R-3 (single-family) units. Approval standard: Must be UL-approved, NFPA-maintained.

Chapter 12 sits on the civil-infraction list in Sec. 1-25, so a landlord who skips required smoke alarms, misses the 2025 lithium-battery swap, or fails to certify working alarms at a change of occupancy faces the default Sec. 1-24 fine: at least $150 for a first violation and at least $250 for a repeat within three years, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense.

Fire Pits & Backyard Fires

Farmington Hills bans open burning citywide except for exemptions listed in Sec. 12-14, and single-family homeowners are covered by one of them: charcoal cookers, grills, outdoor fireplaces and gas-fired stoves are allowed on the premises of a one-family detached dwelling with no permit required, unlike the city's permit-only campfires for group and ceremonial fires.

Key details: Governing section: Sec. 12-14(1), open burning exemptions. Single-family fire pits: Allowed on premises, no permit needed. Multifamily grill distance: 8 feet from building (Sec. 12-14(2)). Group campfire permits: Issued by fire prevention office. First-offense fine: $150 civil infraction (Sec. 1-24).

Open burning outside these exemptions is a civil infraction under Sec. 1-25, carrying the default Sec. 1-24 fine schedule: at least $150 for a first offense and at least $250 for any repeat within three years, plus court costs, with each day of continued violation charged as a separate offense. The fire chief can also revoke a previously issued permit outright, and Sec. 12-10 lets a court order abatement of any fire pit maintained in violation of the chapter.

Outdoor Burning

Farmington Hills makes it unlawful to cause, permit or maintain any open burning of any substance unless the fire fits one of eight narrow exemptions carved out in Sec. 12-14, from single-family grills to firefighter training burns, and the fire chief holds discretionary authority to issue, deny, condition or revoke every permit-based exemption.

Key details: Default rule: All open burning unlawful unless exempted. Number of exemptions: 8 categories under Sec. 12-14. Group fire permits: Issued by fire department, fee allowed. Revocation power: Fire chief may cancel any permit anytime. First-offense fine: $150 civil infraction minimum.

Because Chapter 12 is designated a civil infraction chapter under Sec. 1-25 (except sections specifically marked as misdemeanors), an illegal open fire draws the default Sec. 1-24 civil fine: at least $150 for a first offense and at least $250 for a repeat offense within three years, plus costs, with every day of continued burning treated as a separate violation the city can cite.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Farmington Hills actively enforces its outdoor burning requirements.

The Bottom Line

Farmington Hills's fire regulations rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Farmington Hills is broadly strict or permissive.

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