ZoningVerdict

Accessory dwelling units in Birmingham, MI

What the Birmingham zoning ordinance says about accessory dwelling units, district by district. Section numbers link to the official ordinance.

All districts

Birmingham does not permit accessory dwelling units. The term accessory dwelling appears nowhere in the zoning ordinance, and § 4.02 AS-01 affirmatively prohibits residential occupancy of accessory buildings in the residential districts.

The single exception is the MX district, where residential units in accessory structures are permitted (§ 4.07 AS-06). The closest residential allowance elsewhere is renting of rooms to at most 2 roomers per dwelling (§ 5.02(D)).

A second dwelling unit on a single-family lot would need a rezoning or use-type relief. These are findings drawn from the ordinance's silence and its prohibition; confirm them with the Planning Division before making plans.

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Enter an address. We identify the zoning district and assemble what the ordinance says about it: permitted uses, dimensional rules, accessory structures, and the approval process.

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