West Bloomfield, MI Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)

Section 20-51(1) requires Township Board consent, evidenced by a use permit, before any person uses a township right-of-way for improvements, except as modified for telecommunications permits under Division 4 of Chapter 20. Subsection (2) exempts only a person or company that already holds a valid, effective, current franchise to use the township's rights-of-way, and any other claimed exemption must be documented and proven to the township's satisfaction. Applications that do not abut real property owned by the applicant are decided by the Township Board itself under the Division 5 procedures (§ 20-52), which require a nonrefundable application fee plus a review and processing fee set by board resolution to cover investigation costs.

Section 20-53 adds an annual use permit fee, due before issuance and every January 1 thereafter, calculated from factors like the township's maintenance cost for that stretch of right-of-way, the size of the improvement, and monitoring costs. Section 20-54 sets a standard ten-year permit term with ten-year renewals, renewal applications due at least 120 days before expiration, and interim compliance reviews at the third and sixth years that can lead to fee revisions or revocation proceedings for material noncompliance.