Sterling Heights, Michigan zoning

A plain-language summary of the Sterling Heights zoning ordinance, organized by district and topic. Source: the official ordinance on American Legal Publishing codelibrary (2026 S-46, current through Ord. 509, passed 5-19-26), last reviewed July 3, 2026.

Zoning districts

R-100Residential
One Family Residential (R-100)
R-100 is Sterling Heights' largest-lot single family district, 14,000 square foot minimum lots with a 2,000 square foot minimum house size.
R-90Residential
One Family Residential (R-90)
R-90 is a single family district on 11,700 square foot minimum lots with a 2,000 square foot minimum house size. The city's GIS zoning layer currently maps no land as R-90.
R-80Residential
One Family Residential (R-80)
R-80 is a mid-range single family district on 10,000 square foot minimum lots with a 1,800 square foot minimum house size.
R-70Residential
One Family Residential (R-70)
R-70 is a single family district on 8,400 square foot minimum lots with a 1,400 square foot minimum house size.
R-60Residential
One Family Residential (R-60)
R-60 is the city's smallest-lot single family district, 7,200 square foot minimum lots with a 1,000 square foot minimum house size. It covers much of the city's older southern neighborhoods.
R-2Residential
Two Family Residential (R-2)
R-2 is the city's duplex district, allowing two family dwellings on 12,000 square foot lots alongside one family homes regulated as in the abutting one family district.
MHPResidential
Mobile Home Park
MHP is the district for planned mobile home communities on sites of at least 15 acres, regulated jointly by the city and the Michigan Mobile Home Commission.
RM-1Residential
Multiple Family Low Rise (RM-1)
RM-1 hosts low rise apartments, townhouses, multiplexes, and duplexes at the city's lowest multiple family density, capped at eight units per building.
RM-2Residential
Multiple Family Low Rise (RM-2)
RM-2 is the denser of the two low rise multiple family districts, with three-story buildings possible as a special approval land use.
RM-3Residential
Multiple Family Mid and High Rise (RM-3)
RM-3 provides for mid and high rise apartments with no fixed height cap; setbacks grow with the height of the building.
O-1Commercial
Business and Professional Office (O-1)
O-1 is the small-scale office district for professional, medical, and business offices in one-story buildings, often used as a buffer next to residential neighborhoods.
O-2Commercial
Planned Office (O-2)
O-2 provides for larger planned office development on sites of at least one acre, including all O-1 uses plus more intense office uses.
O-3Commercial
High Rise Office Commercial Service (O-3)
O-3 is the high rise office district; buildings must be at least 3 stories and 35 feet, there is no maximum height, and setbacks grow with building height.
C-1Commercial
Local Convenience Business (C-1)
C-1 is the neighborhood commercial district for day-to-day retail and services such as grocery stores, barber shops, and drugstores, with tight size limits to protect nearby homes.
C-2Commercial
Planned Comparison Business (C-2)
C-2 is the planned shopping center district, requiring sites of at least 8 acres developed as integrated centers; it is also the only district where adult entertainment uses may be approved.
C-3Commercial
General Business (C-3)
C-3 is the city's broadest commercial district, adding auto dealers, hotels, fast food, gas stations, and other auto-oriented uses along major corridors such as Van Dyke Avenue.
C-4Mixed use
Multi Use (C-4)
C-4 provides for large planned mixed-use projects of at least 40 acres combining retail, office, hotel, entertainment, and multiple family residential uses.
P-1Special purpose
Vehicular Parking (P-1)
P-1 is a parking-only district for surface lots serving nearby uses, often placed as a buffer between residential and nonresidential areas.
FPSpecial purpose
Floodplain Area
The Floodplain Area overlays FEMA special flood hazard land along the Clinton River and drains; buildings for living or working are prohibited and open space uses are favored.
O-RCommercial
Office Research (O-R)
O-R hosts corporate headquarters, research and development, laboratories, and data centers on 40,000 square foot minimum lots with deep perimeter setbacks.
TROCommercial
Technical Research Office (TRO)
TRO provides for research, testing laboratories, technical schools, and executive offices on lots at least 250 feet deep.
M-1Industrial
Light Industrial (M-1)
M-1 is the light industrial district for manufacturing, warehousing, and wholesale uses whose external effects stay on site; buildings need at least 5,000 square feet of floor area.
M-2Industrial
Heavy Industrial (M-2)
M-2 is the heavy industrial district for major manufacturing such as vehicle assembly, stamping, and casting, on lots at least 250 feet deep with a 50 foot height allowance.
PCDMixed use
Planned Center District (PCD)
PCD is a large-site planned development district for mixed centers of at least 100 acres, drawing its use list from the RM, O, and C districts under a City Council approved plan.

Code	Name	Category	Summary
R-100	One Family Residential (R-100)	Residential	R-100 is Sterling Heights' largest-lot single family district, 14,000 square foot minimum lots with a 2,000 square foot minimum house size.
R-90	One Family Residential (R-90)	Residential	R-90 is a single family district on 11,700 square foot minimum lots with a 2,000 square foot minimum house size. The city's GIS zoning layer currently maps no land as R-90.
R-80	One Family Residential (R-80)	Residential	R-80 is a mid-range single family district on 10,000 square foot minimum lots with a 1,800 square foot minimum house size.
R-70	One Family Residential (R-70)	Residential	R-70 is a single family district on 8,400 square foot minimum lots with a 1,400 square foot minimum house size.
R-60	One Family Residential (R-60)	Residential	R-60 is the city's smallest-lot single family district, 7,200 square foot minimum lots with a 1,000 square foot minimum house size. It covers much of the city's older southern neighborhoods.
R-2	Two Family Residential (R-2)	Residential	R-2 is the city's duplex district, allowing two family dwellings on 12,000 square foot lots alongside one family homes regulated as in the abutting one family district.
MHP	Mobile Home Park	Residential	MHP is the district for planned mobile home communities on sites of at least 15 acres, regulated jointly by the city and the Michigan Mobile Home Commission.
RM-1	Multiple Family Low Rise (RM-1)	Residential	RM-1 hosts low rise apartments, townhouses, multiplexes, and duplexes at the city's lowest multiple family density, capped at eight units per building.
RM-2	Multiple Family Low Rise (RM-2)	Residential	RM-2 is the denser of the two low rise multiple family districts, with three-story buildings possible as a special approval land use.
RM-3	Multiple Family Mid and High Rise (RM-3)	Residential	RM-3 provides for mid and high rise apartments with no fixed height cap; setbacks grow with the height of the building.
O-1	Business and Professional Office (O-1)	Commercial	O-1 is the small-scale office district for professional, medical, and business offices in one-story buildings, often used as a buffer next to residential neighborhoods.
O-2	Planned Office (O-2)	Commercial	O-2 provides for larger planned office development on sites of at least one acre, including all O-1 uses plus more intense office uses.
O-3	High Rise Office Commercial Service (O-3)	Commercial	O-3 is the high rise office district; buildings must be at least 3 stories and 35 feet, there is no maximum height, and setbacks grow with building height.
C-1	Local Convenience Business (C-1)	Commercial	C-1 is the neighborhood commercial district for day-to-day retail and services such as grocery stores, barber shops, and drugstores, with tight size limits to protect nearby homes.
C-2	Planned Comparison Business (C-2)	Commercial	C-2 is the planned shopping center district, requiring sites of at least 8 acres developed as integrated centers; it is also the only district where adult entertainment uses may be approved.
C-3	General Business (C-3)	Commercial	C-3 is the city's broadest commercial district, adding auto dealers, hotels, fast food, gas stations, and other auto-oriented uses along major corridors such as Van Dyke Avenue.
C-4	Multi Use (C-4)	Mixed use	C-4 provides for large planned mixed-use projects of at least 40 acres combining retail, office, hotel, entertainment, and multiple family residential uses.
P-1	Vehicular Parking (P-1)	Special purpose	P-1 is a parking-only district for surface lots serving nearby uses, often placed as a buffer between residential and nonresidential areas.
FP	Floodplain Area	Special purpose	The Floodplain Area overlays FEMA special flood hazard land along the Clinton River and drains; buildings for living or working are prohibited and open space uses are favored.
O-R	Office Research (O-R)	Commercial	O-R hosts corporate headquarters, research and development, laboratories, and data centers on 40,000 square foot minimum lots with deep perimeter setbacks.
TRO	Technical Research Office (TRO)	Commercial	TRO provides for research, testing laboratories, technical schools, and executive offices on lots at least 250 feet deep.
M-1	Light Industrial (M-1)	Industrial	M-1 is the light industrial district for manufacturing, warehousing, and wholesale uses whose external effects stay on site; buildings need at least 5,000 square feet of floor area.
M-2	Heavy Industrial (M-2)	Industrial	M-2 is the heavy industrial district for major manufacturing such as vehicle assembly, stamping, and casting, on lots at least 250 feet deep with a 50 foot height allowance.
PCD	Planned Center District (PCD)	Mixed use	PCD is a large-site planned development district for mixed centers of at least 100 acres, drawing its use list from the RM, O, and C districts under a City Council approved plan.

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