You must submit a completed Planning Commission & Community Development Application Form, along with all required support documents, to the Community Development Department. Details regarding the technical review process and submittal requirements for various types of requests, including Site Plan Review, Special Land Use Review, etc., are outlined in the Application Packets. The Packets also include a copy of the Planning Commission & Community Development Department Application Form, a review checklist, and the Township Fee Schedule. Please go to the Forms and Permits page to view and print an Application Packet.

Application files may be viewed in the Community Development Department during regular business hours. In addition, Planning Commission meeting agendas are posted on the Township website and include drawings of the proposed project. View Current Projects here.

The Zoning Ordinance designates various land uses as either a Principal Permitted Use or a Special Land Use for each zoning district.  A Principal Permitted Use is considered to be an allowable use and is subject to the development requirements of the zoning district in which the property is located.  A Special Land Use may be allowed only if it is approved by the Planning Commission.  An approved Special Land Use is also subject to the development requirements of the applicable zoning district.

All parcels created through a land split must comply with the dimensional standards of the zoning district in which the parcels are located. The dimensional standards are contained within Article 20, Schedule of Regulations, of the Zoning Ordinance. In addition, the division, combination, or reconfiguration of land is subject to an administrative review, based upon the standards outlined in Article 28, Section 28.2, Division of Unplatted Land, of the Zoning Ordinance. 

“Parcels may be divided provided the parent parcel and all resultant lots comply with dimensional requirements of the applicable zoning district,  all the standards of Section 28.2 of the Zoning Ordinance and the standards of the Michigan Land Division Act, P.A. 288 of 1967.”

The Master Plan for Land Use is an official public document that is adopted by the Planning Commission and used as a policy guide for land use and community development decisions. It indicates, in a general way, how the community wants to develop over the next 10 – 20 years.

State law gives the Township the authority to regulate the use of land and the development of structures through zoning, which is a form of local law.  The Zoning Ordinance classifies all Township land into a zoning district, and designates the type of land uses which may be permitted within each district.  The Zoning Ordinance also establishes uniform standards for each zoning district regarding the physical development of land, including the size and height of a building, setbacks, parking, landscaping, and other site development requirements.  The Zoning Ordinance is a means to implement the Master Plan for Land Use.

To view the Township Zoning Ordinance, “Click Here.”

The Community Development Department is not involved in the marketing of available real estate. Please contact a realtor for this type of information.

The Planning Commission and/or the Board of Trustees will deny development requests that are contrary to our Zoning Ordinance and Master Plan. At times, applicants that have been denied sue the Township. The Township and the applicant may choose to enter into a negotiated settlement and Consent Judgment to avoid going to trial. Although the development resulting from a Consent Judgment may not comply with the exact standards of the Ordinance, they do reflect the spirit and intent of our Master Plan. Therefore, the resulting developments have been beneficial to the surrounding area and an asset to the general community.

For other Community Development Department information not found here, please visit the Community Development Department section of the website. Or, send your questions to Community Development.

The Township’s Zoning Ordinance is available here on the Township’s website.

All parcels within the Township are assigned a zoning classification.  To determine the current zoning of a property, access the Zoning Map located on the Township’s website here.
Note: Approved Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) are also detailed on the Zoning Map. 

No, the Township maintains a policy that no zoning verification letters shall be issued.  Please consult the Township Zoning Map here to determine the correct zoning of a property. 

The Township’s Master Plan for Land Use is available here on the Township’s website. 

All planning projects are subject to stormwater review and approval through Wayne County as the County is the ultimate authority for stormwater management in Plymouth Township.  Please contact Hikmat Kassem at (734) 595-6504 ex: 2038 with questions.  

Parcels may be divided provided the parent parcel and all resultant lots comply with dimensional requirements of the applicable zoning district, all the standards of Section 28.2 of the Zoning Ordinance and the standards of the Michigan Land Division Act, P.A. 288 of 1967.  

 For any proposed zoning variance, rezoning, and special land use requests, in accordance with state law, Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, P.A. 110 of 2006 as amended, adjacent properties within 300-feet of a subject site are notified via regular mail 15 days prior to a scheduled meeting.  Additionally, a notice of public hearing will appear in a newspaper of general circulation 15 days prior to a scheduled meeting.  A rezoning is the act of changing a specified parcel from its current zoning classification to another classification, thereby changing the types of uses permitted and requirements.  A special land use is a use that may be appropriate in certain locations, but due to its more intense nature requires a greater level of scrutiny and a public hearing to ensure compatibility with the surrounding area. 

For all proposed Zoning Ordinance text amendments, in accordance with state law, Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, P.A. 110 of 2006 as amended, a notice of public hearing will appear in a newspaper of general circulation at least 15 days prior to a scheduled meeting. 

All Township parcels and binding documents must be registered with the Wayne County Register of Deeds. Contact at (313) 224-5850 or https://www.waynecountylandrecords.com/recorder/web/ 

The Township does not maintain a list of private roads. To determine the jurisdiction of your road, click here to view the interactive Road Jurisdiction Map from SEMCOG. If your road was newly built within the last few years, it may not yet be on the map.”

Plymouth Township keeps an electronic record of archived public documents on a Laserfiche System. The Laserfiche System can be accessed through the Clerk’s Department located on the first floor of Township Hall.  If you would like to access the system please set up an appointment with the Clerk’s office by calling (734) 354-3225 during normal business hours (8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.).  

Township ordinances require that site plans include a tree survey delineating any existing vegetation and “woodland” areas.  A “woodland” area is a physical, contiguous area that contains at least two 24-inch or larger trees.  Outside of delineated woodland areas, all 8-inch or larger trees must be identified on the tree survey.

All proposed development site plans must identify all trees that are 8-inches or larger, are of good or fair quality, and are to be removed to accommodate the new development.  Based on the tree survey, trees to be removed must either be replaced based on the Township’s levels of acceptable trees or compensated for using a payment-in-lieu. The payment-in-lieu application form is found here.  

  All planning and development applications, including the payment-in-lieu form, are available on the forms page of the Township’s website, or from the Community Development Department between 8:00 A.M. – 4:30 P.M.  

New address forms are available in-person only through the Building Department on the first floor of Township Hall.

Private roads in the township are governed by a Private Road Construction and Maintenance Ordinance, which can be found here. In addition, the following fire code standards for Fire Apparatus Access Roads must be met, which can be found here.