Planning Commission meets the first Tuesday of the month at 7:00
p.m. in the Public Meeting Room, First Floor, Municipal Office
Center. There are nine (9) members on the Planning Commission. The
deadline for submission of items for Planning Commission meetings is
fourteen days prior to the meeting date.
Zoning Board of Appeals meets the first Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m., in the Public Meeting Room, First Floor,
Municipal Office Center. There are seven (7) members on the Zoning Board of Appeals.
When corresponding with the City of Port Huron, please include your name, address, and a daytime telephone number
where you can be reached.
Q: How do I vacate an alley?
A: To vacate an alley, please send an alley vacation request
application to the City of Port Huron Planning Department. An
application form is attached in a pdf file. The application form
needs to be accompanied by a petition signed by all property owners in
the block of said alley agreeing to the vacation of the alley. Please
indicate the location of the alley and the portion to be vacated, by
supplying the address(es) or legal description of the property that the
alley abuts. It normally takes four (4) months to vacate an alley as it
requires a public hearing before the Planning Commission and then
another public hearing before the City Council. Property owners in the
block of the alley are notified that there has been a request made to
vacate the alley and are welcome to attend the public hearing. If the
alley is vacated, a sign is erected by the City at the portion of the
alley that was vacated, indicating that it is no longer open to public
travel. There is a non-refundable fee for an alley vacation. Please call
the City Planning Department at 810-984-9735 for the current fee
schedule.
Q: How can I rezone my property?
A: In order to rezone a piece of property, please send a rezoning
request application to the City of Port Huron Planning Department. An
application form is attached in a pdf file for you to copy. Please
print legibly when filling in the form. Include the legal description of
the property or properties to be rezoned. Please indicate the reason for
the rezoning and include a site plan if a new development or new
construction will take place. A rezoning request takes approximately
four (4) months to complete as the request goes to both the Planning
Commission and the City Council for public hearings. Property owners
within the district to be rezoned are notified as well as property
owners within 300 feet. There is a non-refundable filing fee for a
rezoning request. Please call the City Planning Department at 810-984-9735 for the current fee schedule or if you have a question as to
whether or not your property can be rezoned. Smaller parcels are
normally not rezoned unless they are contiguous to another zone of that
type.
Q: How do I obtain a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals?
A: If you would like to erect a fence in your front yard or build an addition or garage closer to your property line than the zoning ordinance will allow, you can make application to have the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) consider granting a variance to allow construction otherwise prohibited by the Zoning Ordinance. Please submit a Notice of Appeal/Variance Request application to the Building Inspection Division, Third Floor, Municipal Office Center. An
application form is attached in a .pdf file for your use. Property owners within 300 feet of the property will be notified. Under normal circumstances, the case will be reviewed at the next regularly scheduled ZBA meeting (meetings are held on the first Monday of each month) and a decision will be made at that time. If the variance is granted, a building permit can be approved for issuance. There is a non-refundable fee required in order to apply to the ZBA. Please call the City Inspection Division at 810-984-9735 for the current fee schedule.
Q: How is a special permit granted?
A: Each zoning district with the City Limits of the City of Port
Huron permits certain uses. Most zoning districts allow other special
uses only after ‘special approval’ from the Planning Commission and the
City Council. This means that in certain multi-family residential zones,
a professional office may be allowed or in a commercial district, a
warehouse may be allowed. There may be certain criteria that needs to be
met pertaining to setbacks, fencing and parking, but a “special permit”
may be granted for some uses not ordinarily allowed in some zoning
districts. To initiate the procedure for a special use permit please
send a special use permit application to the City of Port Huron Planning
Department. An
application form is attached in a pdf file for you to copy. Indicate
the nature of the use(s), the legal description or address, and a survey
or site plan of the property showing all existing and new construction.
A special use permit ordinarily takes approximately two (2) months to
process as it goes for a public hearing before the Planning Commission
and then is acted upon by the City Council. Property owners within 300
feet of the property are notified. There is a non-refundable filing fee
for a special use permit. Please call the City Planning Department at
810-984-9735 for the current fee schedule.
Q: What is Site Plan Review?
A: Certain construction projects that are large in nature such as a
multi-family residential complex, commercial properties over 1 acre,
industrial buildings, hospital expansion, shopping centers, etc. may
have to go to the Planning Commission for Site Plan Approval before
construction commences. To initiate the procedure for Site Plan Review,
please send a Site Plan Review application to the City of Port Huron
Planning Department, along with a site plan and legal description of the
property. Please follow the requirements for a Site Plan Review per
Section 52-697 of the City of Port Huron Zoning Ordinance, which is
located in this website. An
application form is attached in a pdf file for you to copy. The
Planning Commission reviews the plan for parking requirements, fire
access, lot density, building setbacks, landscaping, etc. This review
generally involves one meeting of the Planning Commission before
approval is granted.
For more information on site plan review, please read
"Does My New Building Require a Site Plan Review?"
This is a non-refundable filing fees. Please contact the City
Planning Department at 810-984-9735 for the current fee schedule.
Q: How is my property zoned?
A: To inquire as to how a parcel of land is zoned, please call the City of Port Huron Planning Department. We can
let you know how your property is zoned and what uses are allowed there. There are twelve (12) different zoning districts
within the City Limits of Port Huron:
| Zoning District |
Description |
| R |
Single-Family Residence District |
| R-1 |
Single- and Two-Family Residence District |
| A-1 |
Medium Density Multiple-Family Residence District (allows duplexes and apartments buildings 1 to 3 stories and taller) |
| A-2 |
High Rise Multiple-Family Residence District (allows duplexes and apartment buildings 1 to 3 stories and taller) |
| CCD |
Community College District |
| B-1 |
Neighborhood Business District (a few zones of this type are in older neighborhoods allowing party stores and small retail businesses) |
| C-1 |
General Business District (allows retail, offices, restaurants, and general business uses) |
| CBD |
Central Business District (generally located in the "downtown-MainStreet" area; allows retail, office, restaurants and general business uses. Can allow residential after special approval) |
| MD |
Marina District (allows marinas and any services related to boating) |
| M-1 |
Light Industrial District (allows warehouses, laboratories and certain types of manufacturing facilities) |
| M-2 |
General Industrial District (allows "heavy" industry and food processing plants) |
| I |
Institutional District (allows hospitals, nursing homes and other health care facilities; will also allow residential, libraries, museums, churches and schools) |
Zoning maps and ordinance books are available for sale at the City Planning Department.
