Solar PV systems in Farmington Hills require both a building permit and an electrical permit from the Building Division at (248) 871-2450, with electrical interconnection through the serving utility (DTE Energy for most of Farmington Hills; some areas are Consumers Energy). The Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 34, Section 3.26) ALLOWS solar energy collectors in ALL zoning districts. Roof-mounted solar may exceed the district height limitations if the installation is an addition to a roof and does not block solar access of adjoining buildings (§ 34-3.26.3.B.ii). Solar collectors may extend 2 inches per foot of yard into side yards and 3 feet into front and rear yards (§ 34-3.26.7.A & B).
Solar PV permitting in Farmington Hills is governed by the Michigan Building Code, the Michigan Residential Code, the Michigan Electrical Code (NFPA 70 / NEC as adopted by Michigan LARA), the Farmington Hills Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 34, Article 3, Section 3.26), and Chapter 7 (Buildings and Building Regulations) of the Code. The Building Division at (248) 871-2450 administers permitting and inspection. Required submittals typically include: a completed building permit application; a completed electrical permit application; a site plan showing the array location, setbacks, and any ground-mount footings; structural calculations or a wet-stamped Michigan-licensed engineer's letter for the roof load (especially for older roof framing); manufacturer cut sheets for modules, inverters, and rapid-shutdown devices; an electrical one-line diagram showing the AC and DC sides, OCPD ratings, and the point of interconnection; and a labeling plan compliant with NEC Article 690 / 705. Zoning rules under § 34-3.26 ALLOW solar energy collectors in all zoning districts as an accessory use. Under § 34-3.26.3.B.ii, solar collectors in any district may exceed the district height limitations if the installation is an addition to a roof and does not block solar access of adjoining buildings. Under § 34-3.26.7.A and B, solar collectors and other architectural features may project up to 2 inches for each foot of required side yard into the side yard, and up to 3 feet into the front and rear yards. Ground-mount systems must observe accessory-structure setbacks and any applicable fence/screening requirements. Interconnection with the serving utility (DTE Energy for most of Farmington Hills; Consumers Energy for limited service-territory pockets) is processed under the Michigan Public Service Commission's Distributed Generation tariff rules (MCL 460.6a; MPSC Case U-20890 and successor orders). DTE Energy requires submission of the residential interconnection application and signed interconnection agreement before energization; the utility installs a bidirectional meter for net metering / distributed generation billing. Michigan property tax treatment of residential solar is handled at the assessor level under MCL 211.7s and related guidance. Final inspection is required before utility interconnection — schedule through the Building Division at (248) 871-2450.
Installing solar PV without both a building permit AND an electrical permit violates the Michigan Building / Residential / Electrical Codes as adopted under the Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act (MCL 125.1501 et seq.) and Chapter 7 of the Farmington Hills Code, and is enforceable as a municipal civil infraction under Chapter 1 § 1-15 with Stop Work orders, after-the-fact permitting at increased fees, civil fines, and orders to disconnect until inspected. Energizing on the DTE Energy or Consumers Energy grid without an executed interconnection agreement violates the MPSC-approved Distributed Generation tariff and can result in tariff penalties, removal of net metering / DG credit, and disconnection. Unsafe wiring or non-compliant rapid-shutdown installation can be referred to LARA's Bureau of Construction Codes under MCL 338.881 et seq. and to the State Fire Marshal under the Michigan Fire Prevention Code, MCL 29.1 et seq.
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