West Bloomfield, MI Environmental Rules: Boat Dock Permits (2026)

Sec. 12-91(b) of the Township Code requires a written use permit to construct, enlarge, or operate any dock exceeding one hundred feet measured from the ordinary high water mark on a watercourse or wetland, and generally requires a permit to build or enlarge any structure on a watercourse or wetland, carving out an exception for noncommercial seasonal docks and other recreational facilities that meet Sec. 12-92(4) through (6). Marinas, association docks, and commercial docks need both a township use permit and a separate EGLE (Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy) permit.

The permit-free seasonal dock exception in Sec. 12-92(5) is narrow: it applies only to a single-family riparian owner, the dock can go in on or after April 1 and must come out by October 31 (a use permit is required for installation before or removal after those dates), it cannot exceed one hundred feet from the ordinary high water mark or extend into or obstruct the navigable channel, and only the riparian owner's own registered watercraft can moor there. Permanent docks, boat hoists, and rafts are prohibited outright on an inland lake or river outside a permitted structure.

Sec. 12-92(6) and (7) separately exempt small noncommercial rafts and diving platforms under one hundred fifty square feet and water-recreation devices like slides and swings installed over water no deeper than four feet, as long as neither creates a safety hazard or blocks boat traffic. Given West Bloomfield's frontage on Pine, Cass, Walnut, and Union lakes, waterfront owners planning anything beyond a seasonal dock should expect a use permit review weighing water quality, fish and wildlife habitat, and cumulative impact on the watershed.