Farmington Hills's Fire Regulations: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles fire regulations a little differently. In Farmington Hills, Michigan, there are 8 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.

Fireworks

Farmington Hills regulates consumer fireworks under Chapter 12 of the Code of Ordinances within the strict limits set by the Michigan Fireworks Safety Act (MCL 28.451 et seq.) as amended by 2018 PA 635 (which replaced the more permissive 2011 PA 256 holiday window with the current narrower list). MCL 28.457 prohibits local fireworks ordinances from restricting discharge on the following days after 11 a.m.: December 31 (until 1 a.m. Jan 1); the Saturday and Sunday immediately preceding Memorial Day (until 11:45 p.m.); June 29 through July 4 (until 11:45 p.m. each day); July 5 if it falls on a Friday or Saturday (until 11:45 p.m.); and the Saturday and Sunday immediately preceding Labor Day (until 11:45 p.m.). On all other days, Farmington Hills prohibits discharge of consumer fireworks. The local ordinance also prohibits discharge of fireworks on public property (parks, roadways, schools, sidewalks), requires written permission of the property owner to discharge on private property not owned by the user, makes it illegal to discharge while under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances (MCL 28.457(4)), and bans sale to anyone under age 18 (MCL 28.452a). The mandatory civil fine for a local-ordinance violation is $1,000.00 per violation under MCL 28.457(3), with 50% remitted to local law enforcement.

Key details: State Cite: MCL 28.451 et seq. (Fireworks Safety Act) as amended by 2018 PA 635. Protected Days: Dec 31, Memorial Day weekend (Sat-Sun), June 29-July 4 (+ July 5 if Fri/Sat), Labor Day weekend (Sat-Sun). Protected Hours: After 11 a.m.; until 11:45 p.m. (1 a.m. New Year's). All Other Days: Prohibited under Farmington Hills Ch. 12. Civil Fine: $1,000 per violation (MCL 28.457(3), mandatory).

Violations of the Farmington Hills fireworks ordinance are municipal civil infractions enforced by the Farmington Hills Police Department. Per MCL 28.457(3), the mandatory civil fine is $1,000.00 per violation - this amount is set by state statute and cannot be reduced by local ordinance. 50% of the fine collected is remitted to the local law enforcement agency. Common violations: discharge on a non-protected day, discharge before 11 a.m. on a protected day, discharge after the statutory end time (11:45 p.m. / 1 a.m. New Year's), discharge on public property, discharge on private property without the owner's written permission, discharge while intoxicated (MCL 28.457(4)), and sale to a person under 18 (MCL 28.452a). Discharge resulting in property damage or personal injury may also support criminal charges and civil liability. Aerial professional displays without a state permit are separately enforceable under MCL 28.456.

Compared to other cities, Farmington Hills takes a harder line on fireworks. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Outdoor Burning

Outdoor open burning is broadly prohibited inside Farmington Hills under Chapter 12, Sec. 12-14 of the Code of Ordinances. The only outdoor fires allowed are small recreational fires at single-family homes contained in an approved semi-enclosed device (manufactured outdoor fire pit, chiminea, ceramic outdoor fireplace) burning only seasoned firewood, constantly attended, with extinguishing equipment immediately available, located a safe distance from structures, and with cooled coals stored in a metal container kept outside the home. All other outdoor burning - including yard-waste burning, brush burning, trash burning, construction debris burning, ground fires, bonfires, and burning in unapproved devices - requires explicit written permit/approval from the Farmington Hills Fire Department Fire Prevention Division (248-871-2820). Recreational fires at multi-family dwellings are prohibited. The Michigan DNR burn permits issued under Part 515 of NREPA (Act 451 of 1994, codifying Act 119 of 1925) are not valid inside Farmington Hills city limits - the city is a Home Rule jurisdiction that has opted to regulate burning more strictly than the state baseline. Michigan operates under the 2015 Michigan Building Code (MCL 125.1502 / Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act), which adopts the 2015 IFC with state amendments.

Key details: Code Cite: Farmington Hills Code Ch. 12, Sec. 12-14. Allowed Open Burning: Sec. 12-14 recreational fire (single-family homes, semi-enclosed device, seasoned firewood). Prohibited: Yard waste, refuse, construction materials - regardless of device. Multi-family Properties: No recreational fires permitted. MI Building Code: 2015 MBC (2015 IBC + state amendments) per MCL 125.1502.

The Farmington Hills Fire Department Fire Prevention Division (248-871-2820) enforces Sec. 12-14 prohibitions on unauthorized open burning. The city's stated enforcement policy: 'If the Fire Department responds to your home for an open burn, you may be ticketed or you may receive a cost recovery invoice from the Fire Department for a fire truck and firefighters responding to your violation.' Common violations include burning yard waste/leaves/brush regardless of device, burning trash or construction debris, recreational fires at multi-family residences, unattended recreational fires, fires within an unsafe distance of structures, and reliance on a Michigan DNR burn permit inside city limits (DNR permits are not valid in Farmington Hills). Cost-recovery billing for emergency response is a tool used by Farmington Hills to discourage repeated unauthorized burns.

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

Wildfire Zones

Farmington Hills sits in the suburban core of southeast Michigan (western Oakland County, immediately west of Detroit) and is not within any federally designated Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) zone or state-mapped very-high fire-hazard severity area. Michigan does not maintain a state WUI map analogous to California's CAL FIRE FHSZ system; SE Michigan's developed, lake-effect-tempered climate produces low statistical wildfire risk relative to the Michigan Upper Peninsula or northern Lower Peninsula. The Farmington Hills Fire Department enforces Chapter 12 (Fire Prevention and Protection) of the Code of Ordinances under the 2015 Michigan Building Code (2015 IBC + state amendments) adopted via MCL 125.1502 (Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act). Michigan's primary wildfire-management tools are: (1) the Michigan DNR Forest Resources Division burn-permit program under Part 515 of NREPA (Act 451 of 1994, codifying Act 119 of 1925), which governs open burning in DNR jurisdiction areas, and (2) statewide or regional DNR burn-permit suspensions during periods of elevated fire-danger ratings. Inside Farmington Hills, the city's blanket Sec. 12-14 prohibition on open burning (with the narrow recreational-fire exception) provides the primary fire-prevention control - DNR permit status does not apply.

Key details: State WUI Map: None - Michigan does not map WUI hazard severity zones. Farmington Hills Risk Tier: Suburban SE Michigan (Oakland County) - statistically low wildfire risk. Local Fire Code Cite: Farmington Hills Code Ch. 12 under 2015 MBC (MCL 125.1502). Active Wildfire Tools: Michigan DNR burn-permit program (NREPA Part 515, codifying Act 119 of 1925). Inside City: Sec. 12-14 blanket prohibition on open burning controls.

There is no Farmington Hills-specific wildfire-zone defensible-space mandate. The applicable enforcement levers are: Sec. 12-14 (open-burning prohibition with recreational-fire exception), Chapter 17 (Nuisances) for property maintenance/overgrowth, the 2015 Michigan Building Code and Michigan Residential Code structure-separation rules, and any active Michigan DNR burn-permit suspension. The Farmington Hills Fire Department Fire Prevention Division (248-871-2820) is the lead local contact. State-level DNR permit suspensions are advisory inside Farmington Hills (city already prohibits the burns DNR would suspend) but should be honored at any adjoining unincorporated property.

If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find Farmington Hills gives residents more flexibility on wildfire zones.

Fire Pit Rules

The Farmington Hills Fire Prevention Ordinance at Chapter 12 (Fire Prevention and Protection), Sec. 12-14, allows for small recreational fires at single-family homes only. The fire must be contained in an approved semi-enclosed device (manufactured outdoor fire pit, chiminea, or commercially produced wood-burning unit) using only seasoned firewood. The fire must be constantly attended, extinguishing equipment (garden hose, bucket of water, or portable fire extinguisher) must be immediately available, and a safe distance must be maintained from structures. When finished, the fire must be completely extinguished and the cooled coals stored in a metal container kept outside the home. Recreational fires at multi-family dwellings (apartments, condominiums, townhouses) are not permitted. No yard waste, refuse, leaves, or construction materials may be burned at any time. The Farmington Hills Fire Department (Fire Prevention Division 248-871-2820) enforces Chapter 12 under the 2015 Michigan Building Code (which adopts the 2015 IFC with state amendments via the Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act, MCL 125.1502).

Key details: Code Cite: Farmington Hills Code Ch. 12, Sec. 12-14. Where Allowed: Single-family homes only (no apartments/condos). Device: Approved semi-enclosed device required. Fuel Allowed: Seasoned firewood only - no yard waste/trash/construction debris. Attendance: Constantly attended; extinguishing equipment immediately available.

Sec. 12-14 violations are enforced by the Farmington Hills Fire Department Fire Prevention Division (248-871-2820). The city's official guidance: if the Fire Department responds to a home for an unauthorized open burn, the homeowner may be ticketed and may receive a cost recovery invoice from the Fire Department for the fire truck and firefighters dispatched to the violation. Common violations include burning yard waste or leaves in a fire pit, recreational fires at multi-family properties, unattended fires, fires within an unsafe distance of structures, and disposal of cooled coals in plastic containers or against the home. The Fire Prevention Division also enforces the Michigan-adopted IFC provisions on recreational fires.

Smoke Detectors

Smoke alarm requirements in Farmington Hills follow Michigan state law: MCL 125.1504a (smoke alarms in residential rental property) and the 2015 Michigan Residential Code (MRC) Section R314 for one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses. R314.3 requires smoke alarms in each sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of bedrooms, and on each additional story including basements and habitable attics (excluding crawl spaces and uninhabitable attics). MCL 125.1504a requires owners of residential rental property constructed before the smoke-alarm requirements of the construction code to install at least one approved smoke alarm in each unit; alarms installed under MCL 125.1504a to satisfy a deficiency must be powered by a 10-year sealed lithium battery (or hardwired). The Farmington Hills Fire Department recommends all alarms be less than 10 years old (replace immediately if no manufacturer date is visible), tested monthly, with batteries replaced when clocks are changed, and ideally upgraded to 10-year sealed lithium-battery models. Firefighters offer free home inspections and may provide replacement alarms through community programs. Michigan operates under the 2015 Michigan Building Code (MCL 125.1502 / Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act); the 2018 and 2021 ICC cycles have not been adopted.

Key details: Owner-Occupied Code Cite: 2015 Michigan Residential Code R314 (per MCL 125.1502). Rental Property Cite: MCL 125.1504a (10-year sealed lithium battery required). Required Locations: Each bedroom + outside each sleeping area + every story (incl. basement). Listing Standard: UL 217 listed and labeled (low-battery signaling). Interconnect: Required (wired or listed wireless) when >1 alarm required.

MCL 125.1504a violations in rental property are enforceable through state housing-law enforcement and through Farmington Hills Code Enforcement (housing/rental-property inspections). Missing, disconnected, or non-UL 217 smoke alarms in occupied dwellings can constitute violations of state code and may delay Certificate of Occupancy on new construction or rental-license renewal on existing units. The Farmington Hills Fire Department (Fire Prevention Division 248-871-2820) addresses smoke-alarm issues encountered during fire response or inspection. Landlords leasing residential property in Michigan must provide and maintain operable smoke alarms under MCL 125.1504a and MCL 554.139. Tenants may report missing or non-functional alarms to Farmington Hills Code Enforcement or the Fire Prevention Division.

Brush Clearance

Burning brush, leaves, grass clippings, and yard waste is prohibited in Farmington Hills under Chapter 12, Sec. 12-14 of the Code of Ordinances. The Farmington Hills Fire Department directs residents to bag yard waste in approved yard-waste bags or place it in cans marked with a yard-waste sticker for regular curbside pickup on the regular collection day, rather than burning. The prohibition applies regardless of device - residents who burn yard waste in portable fireplaces, burn pits, ceramic chimineas, or any other appliance are still in violation; no device legalizes yard-waste burning in Farmington Hills. The Michigan Department of Forestry (DNR) issues open-burning permits under Act 119 of 1925 (codified as Part 515 of NREPA, MCL 324.51501 et seq.) only in unincorporated/forested areas, and these permits are not valid inside Farmington Hills city limits. Overgrown weeds, grass, and noxious vegetation are addressed under the city's property maintenance and nuisance provisions (Chapter 17 Nuisances) administered by Code Enforcement.

Key details: Brush/Yard Waste Burning: Prohibited citywide (Sec. 12-14) - any device. Disposal Method: Approved yard-waste bags or cans with yard-waste sticker - curbside pickup. DNR Burn Permits: Not valid inside Farmington Hills city limits. Property Maintenance Cite: Farmington Hills Code Ch. 17 (Nuisances). Fire Prevention Contact: Farmington Hills Fire Prevention 248-871-2820.

If the Farmington Hills Fire Department responds to a home for an unauthorized open burn (including brush, leaves, or yard waste), the homeowner may be ticketed and may receive a cost recovery invoice for the fire truck and firefighters dispatched to the violation. The Fire Prevention Division (248-871-2820) is the lead enforcement contact. Property-maintenance nuisance violations (overgrown weeds, grass, noxious vegetation) are enforced by Farmington Hills Code Enforcement under Chapter 17 (Nuisances); the city may abate the condition at the owner's expense after written notice and an opportunity to cure, with cost recoverable as a lien on the property. DNR burn permits issued under Act 451 (Act 119 framework) are not valid inside Farmington Hills city limits; possession of a state permit does not create a defense to a Sec. 12-14 violation.

Propane Storage

Propane and LPG appliances and storage in Farmington Hills are governed by the 2015 Michigan Fire Code (adopted under the Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act, MCL 125.1502 - same edition as the 2015 IFC with state amendments) and the 2015 Michigan Mechanical/Residential Code (which incorporates NFPA 54 National Fuel Gas Code via 2015 MRC Chapter 24). The Michigan Fire Code Chapter 61 (Liquefied Petroleum Gases) adopts NFPA 58 (LP-Gas Code) by reference for storage, dispensing, transportation, and use of LPG. For single-family residences: portable LPG cylinders 1 lb to 100 lb water capacity may be stored outdoors above ground per NFPA 58; gas-grill propane tanks must be at least 10 feet from any building opening (windows, doors, vents) and ventilation intakes; spare cylinders should be stored upright outdoors, not in a basement or attached garage. Larger residential tanks (commonly 100 to 1,000 gallons used for whole-home heating or pool/spa applications) require permits from the Farmington Hills Building Department under the 2015 Michigan Mechanical Code and must satisfy NFPA 58 setbacks (10 ft minimum from buildings for tanks 125-500 gal; greater setbacks for larger tanks). The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) Bureau of Fire Services administers state-level LPG licensing under PA 207 of 1941 (the Michigan Fire Prevention Code). The 2018 and 2021 ICC cycles have NOT been adopted in Michigan - the 2015 code remains in force.

Key details: State Code Cite: 2015 Michigan Fire Code Ch. 61 (adopts NFPA 58 by reference). Residential Gas Code: 2015 Michigan Residential Code Ch. 24 (NFPA 54 / National Fuel Gas Code). MI Adoption Vehicle: Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act (MCL 125.1502). 20-lb Grill Cylinder Setback: 10 ft from building openings (windows, doors, vents). Stationary 125-500 Gal Tank Setback: 10 ft (NFPA 58 Table 6.4.1.1).

Propane and LPG violations in Farmington Hills are enforced by the Fire Department Fire Prevention Division (248-871-2820) under the 2015 Michigan Fire Code Chapter 61 / NFPA 58, with permitting administered by the Farmington Hills Building Department under the 2015 Michigan Mechanical Code and 2015 MRC G2422. Common violations: spare 20-lb propane cylinders stored in a basement or attached garage; grills used or stored within 10 feet of building openings; stationary residential LPG tanks installed without the required Farmington Hills Building Department permit; tank setbacks closer than NFPA 58 Table 6.4.1.1 minimums; outdoor grilling on combustible balconies above the first story at multi-family properties without specific Fire Marshal approval. Bulk LPG and dispensing without Bureau of Fire Services licensing under PA 207 of 1941 may result in state-level enforcement in addition to local citation.

Backyard Fires

Backyard fires in Farmington Hills are tightly controlled under Chapter 12 (Fire Prevention and Protection), Sec. 12-14 of the Code of Ordinances. The only outdoor fire allowed in a Farmington Hills backyard is a small recreational fire at a single-family home, contained in an approved semi-enclosed device (manufactured outdoor fire pit, chiminea, or ceramic outdoor fireplace), burning only seasoned firewood. The fire must be constantly attended, extinguishing equipment must be immediately available, and a safe distance must be maintained from any structure. Cooled coals must be stored in a metal container kept outside the home. Open ground fires, bonfires, brush piles, and burning in unapproved devices are prohibited - 'regardless of the device, nothing [other than the approved semi-enclosed recreational fire] is permitted.' Recreational fires at multi-family dwellings (apartments, condominiums, townhouses) are not allowed. Yard waste, leaves, refuse, treated/painted wood, and construction debris may never be burned. The Farmington Hills Fire Department Fire Prevention Division (248-871-2820) enforces Sec. 12-14 and may issue tickets or cost-recovery invoices for unauthorized backyard fires.

Key details: Code Cite: Farmington Hills Code Ch. 12, Sec. 12-14. Where Allowed: Single-family homes only. Required Device: Approved semi-enclosed device (fire pit, chiminea, ceramic outdoor fireplace). Fuel Allowed: Seasoned firewood only. Prohibited: Open ground fires, bonfires, brush piles, yard waste, treated wood, construction debris.

The Farmington Hills Fire Department Fire Prevention Division (248-871-2820) is the lead enforcement contact for Sec. 12-14 backyard-fire violations. Official policy: 'If the Fire Department responds to your home for an open burn, you may be ticketed or you may receive a cost recovery invoice from the Fire Department for a fire truck and firefighters responding to your violation.' Common violations: open ground fires or traditional bonfires (not in an approved semi-enclosed device); fires in plastic chimineas or non-listed devices the Fire Department deems inadequate; recreational fires at multi-family properties; unattended fires; burning yard waste or treated wood in an otherwise-approved device; disposal of hot coals in plastic containers or against the home. Repeated violations may escalate to formal citation and municipal civil infraction proceedings.

Compared to other cities, Farmington Hills takes a harder line on backyard fires. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

The Bottom Line

Farmington Hills is tougher than many cities when it comes to fire regulations. Out of the 8 rules covered here, 3 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Farmington Hills, 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 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.