Environmental Rules in Farmington Hills, MI (2026)
4 verified environmental rules for Farmington Hills, Michigan, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Stormwater Management
Farmington Hills is a Phase II Jurisdictional MS4 community in the Rouge River watershed regulated under EGLE NPDES General Permit MIS040000 and is a Primary Member of the Alliance of Rouge Communities (ARC). Local stormwater authority is codified in Chapter 33 (Water and Sewers), Article IX — Stormwater Management of the Farmington Hills Code of Ordinances and administered by the Department of Public Services / Engineering Division at (248) 871-2560. The City has adopted a Storm Water Management Plan (SWMP) under the MS4 general permit and runs an Illicit Discharge Elimination Plan (IDEP), public education through Project Rouge River at Home, and post-construction stormwater controls.
Stormwater Management in Farmington Hills
Heavy RestrictionsErosion Control
Soil erosion and sedimentation control (SESC) in Farmington Hills is administered under Part 91 of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, MCL 324.9101 et seq., with permit issuance and inspection delegated to the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner (WRC) for projects in Farmington Hills. A Part 91 SESC permit is REQUIRED for any earth change disturbing one (1) or more acres OR any earth change occurring within 500 feet of a lake, stream, wetland, or drain — including the Rouge River and its tributaries. Smaller residential sites are administered by the Farmington Hills Engineering Division. Soil erosion and silt must be controlled and contained on site.
Erosion Control in Farmington Hills
Heavy RestrictionsFlood Zones
Farmington Hills participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and regulates floodplain development under the local zoning ordinance (Chapter 34) in conjunction with EGLE floodplain review under Part 31 of NREPA, MCL 324.3101 et seq. (Floodplain Regulatory Authority MCL 324.3104 / 324.30301). Mapped Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) follow the Rouge River and its tributaries through the City — including the Main Branch, Middle Rouge, Upper Rouge, Tarabusi Creek, and Minnow Pond Drain corridors. Use Oakland County's Property Gateway floodplain GIS or the FEMA Map Service Center to identify your flood zone, and contact the Farmington Hills Building Division at (248) 871-2450 before any floodplain work.
Flood Zones in Farmington Hills
Heavy RestrictionsGrading & Drainage
Grading and drainage in Farmington Hills are regulated through the Engineering Design Standards (Department of Public Services / Engineering Division), Chapter 33 Article IX of the Code (Stormwater Management), and the Part 91 Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control program administered by the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner. Post-construction stormwater controls — detention basins, bioretention, sand filters, infiltration trenches — must be sized to match the EGLE NPDES MS4 General Permit MIS040000 requirements and the Alliance of Rouge Communities Rouge River Watershed Management Plan. Drainage that crosses neighbor property lines also implicates the Michigan Drain Code (Act 40 of 1956, MCL 280.1 et seq.) and the Oakland County WRC's jurisdiction over established county drains.
Grading and Drainage in Farmington Hills
Heavy RestrictionsLooking for Oakland County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Farmington Hills city rules.
Environmental Rules in Oakland County →