Building

Building Department

The City of Monroe Building Division is dedicated to providing the highest level of customer service, plan review, and inspection services to our customers - the public. Our commitment to the community is “Safety First, Customers First!” To accomplish this, we strive to bring the highest level of professionalism, fairness, and integrity to every job.

With this goal in mind, the Building Division protects the public by ensuring that buildings and structures are built or renovated according to the latest safety standards and best industry practices with our most frequent customers being city residents, architects, engineers, building owners, developers, and licensed contractors.

The Building Division’s work begins prior to the start of any construction or renovation project. By being involved early in the process and placing customers first, we can better assist property owners with a project that is safe and completed in a timely manner. To accomplish this, the Building Division reviews building and site plans, ensures zoning compliance, issues building permits, and provides building, plumbing/ mechanical, and electrical inspections throughout the project to ensure that all work is done in compliance with Michigan Building Codes and local ordinances - again to protect the public’s health, safety and welfare.

Additional duties and responsibilities performed by the Building Division on a daily basis include: contractor registration, commercial occupancy inspections, nuisance abatement, blight inspections, zoning ordinance enforcement, and collecting and reporting on construction data.
The Building Division works closely with all other departments in the development of our City. The Building Division of the Economic & Community Development department is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the Michigan Building Codes, Zoning, Blight, and Rental Housing codes of the City of Monroe. We also handle the administration of appeals to the Zoning Board of Appeals, Construction Board of Appeals and Dangerous Building Hearings. Current applications can be found on our Permits and Forms page.

We provide applications for Building/Zoning Permit, Sign Permit, Contractor Registration, Plumbing Permit, Zoning Compliance, Certificate of Occupancy, Temporary Use and Structures, Mechanical Permit, Rental Housing Registration, Administrative Site Plan Review, Electrical Permit, and Rental Housing Requirements.


MISSION
The Monroe Building Department sustains our historical character and small-town charm by ensuring safe, attractive, viable, well-maintained properties throughout the City.

CORE VALUES
1. We will collaborate with the development community to foster efficient and streamlined development. 2. We will embrace the challenges of assisting developers in the adaptive reuse of historic buildings to insure a safe and productive use for its tenants and owners.  3. We will provide timely responses to all permit applications and inspection requests. 4. We will engage in effective and respectful communications with property owners and contractors to continuously improve the customer experience. 5. We will continually seek feedback from property owners and contractors to improve our customer service. 6. We will constantly strive to identify and implement innovations to improve our customer service.

Contact Information

Loren Benes
Building Official
120 E. First St.
Monroe, MI, 48161
Building: (734) 384-9186
Rental: (734) 384-9185
Fax: (734) 384-9108
Building Department is on the first floor of Monroe City Hall