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Residential Building Information

Different permits are required for different types of building.  Among these are:

Residential Home Application List

To obtain a building permit we will need the following:

1. BUILDING APPLICATION – Click here to print a Building Application in PDF format.

2. HIGHWAY PERMITS - Must be obtained through the Department of Public Works prior to a building permit being issued. Please fill out this form and submit to the Department of Public Works Office. A Highway Permit will be issued within 48 hours of paperwork being received and the Highway Contactor has signed the permit. Any questions for their department please call (616)791-6854.

3. SOIL EROSION PERMIT/SOIL EROSION & SEDIMENTATION CONTROL WAIVER – A separate Soil Erosion Permit may be required if your property is one acre or greater or is within 500’ of a lake or stream. If a Soil Erosion Permit is not required please sign the Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Waiver.

4. A GRADING AND SITE PLAN – Show all existing buildings and grades drawn to scale, using figures from Topal Map of plat if applicable. Plan must show existing and proposed contours.  We have made available the Site Plan Requirement Letter (PDF format) and a Site Plan image for your review.

5. BLUEPRINTS – Showing floor plan of all levels of house, truss detail, four side elevation views and a cross section of building. If the house has a calculated floor area over 3500 sq. ft. an Architectural or Engineers seal is required.

6. CONTRACTOR’S REGISTRATION FORM – All builders are required to be registered with the City of Walker Building Department.  A copy of you State License and Workman’s Compensation Policy is required.  Commercial, Residential, Electrical and Mechanical Contractors – there will be a $15.00 administrative fee.   Plumbing Contractors – there will be a $10.00 administrative fee.

7. CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY/SIGN-IN/DEPOSIT - Certificate of Occupancy master sheet is included in this package and is the responsibility of the builder to post the sheet in the window facing the road. A $200.00 deposit is required for all new construction. This deposit is refundable if all required inspections have been called in and approval given before occupancy.

8. Michigan Energy Code

Listed below are items that we will require after/during construction:

9. INSPECTION CARD - Posted on site

10. ADDRESS NUMBERS - Required on the building site before construction begins.

11. FINAL SURVEY - Copy showing the basement of the house on the lot with the proper setbacks.

12. VAPOR BARRIER/INSULATION - At the time the insulation and vapor barrier are installed, we need a verification form filled out by the installer showing compliance with the Michigan Energy form. (obtain form from City of Walker Building Department)

13. WINDOW SCHEDULE – A complete list of windows showing location and where egress is needed in house.

Listed below are items you will need to obtain for your own information:

13. WATER WELLS AND/OR SEPTIC SYSTEM PERMITS - Obtain from the Kent County Health Department.

14. SEWER AND/OR WATER - You must obtain a $2.00 water and sewer affidavit from the City of Walker, bring the affidavit with you to the City of Grand Rapids (along with a copy of lot dimensions) and pay all required fees.

Garages 

•  Truss shop drawing

• Site plan (with dimensions)

• All elevations

• Cross-section

• Completed Building Permit application

• Contact Building Dept. for building replacement requirements

Small Additions

Sun porch, addition to bedroom, breezeway and decks

• All elevations

• Site plan (with dimensions)

• Cross-section

• Completed Building Permit application

• Contact Building Dept. for building replacement requirements

Fences, Walls and Hedges 

Click here to view the ordinance through Municode. (Ordinance # 08-558 Section #94-337)

To put a fence on a corner lot, please contact the City of Walker Building Department at (616)791-6858.

Accessory Buildings  

• 200 sq. ft. or larger accessory building needs to obtain a building permit.  The accessory building needs to be placed in the rear yard 5 feet from the side and rear lot lines and 10 feet from any other structure or a fire wall is required. To be kept out of any easements.
• A Building Permit application must be completed.

Roofing Regulations   

• Permits required for re-roofing

Swimming Pools

An electrical permit shall be obtained along with a building permit (two separate permits). A Swimming Pool Application must be submitted by the applicant as well as a site plan indicating the location of the proposed  pool in relation to adjacent lot lines, buildings, driveways, and septic tank systems.  For a copy of the swimming pool ordinance and requirements, please contact the City of Walker Building Department at (616)791-6858.

94-337(b). Accessory buildings and swimming pools – Swimming pools constructed, erected or placed in or on the ground as accessory to a residential dwelling unit shall be located within the rear yard. A wall of a swimming pool shall be located at leave five feet from a side or rear property line and at least ten feet from a dwelling. The requirements of this subsection shall apply to any swimming pool for which a building permit is required under the building code of the City.

Residential Building Permits
Michigan Residential Code 2006

All building permits require the inspections listed below, please allow and call 2 days in advance for each inspection.

1. Foundation Footing and Wall Inspection - do not backfill until approved.

A. Any required steel reinforcing rod must be inspected prior to placing concrete.

B. Soil testing reports may be required for prepared fill or where unknown soil characteristics exist.

2. Rough Framing Inspection - do not insulate until approved by Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing and Building Inspectors. Truss bracing specifications required on site.

3. Final Occupancy Inspection - when building is completed it requires Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing and Building Inspectors approval before occupying the Structure.

Building Permit and Address and Inspection Card must be posted on site!

Listed are some of the Michigan Residential Code 2006 Sections we will be checking. Please refer to the 2006 Michigan Residential Code Book for specific wording of code sections.

1. 42" below grade frost protection required on all footings.

2. Walk-out frost walls must be insulated with a minimum of 1" styrafoam before foundation inspection.

3. Damp proofing and/or waterproofing is required on all foundations before foundation inspection.

4. Foundation drainage system required for all foundations that enclose usable space below grade. ½" anchor bolts 12" from ends and 6' on center or approved anchor straps that provide equivalent anchorage.

5. Foundation re-rod - vertical reinforcement required per Table 404.1.1(5). 48" O.C. 5" from soil side of wall vertical #6.

1. All sill plates must be treated lumber.

2. All furring strips in direct contact with concrete must be treated.

3. Treated wood framing and sheathing shall be required when closer than 8" from exposed earth.

4. All joists must have a minimum of 1 ½" of bearing.

5. All I-joist must have squash blocks per manufacturers specs.

6. All girder trusses and beams must have proper bearing directly below and solid blocking between floor joists down to foundation.

7. Double lap studs required under most headers exceeding 5' Table 502.5(1).

8. 22" x 30" attic access for all attics 30" or higher.

9. Fire stop all bulkheads and around all vent, pipes and ducts.

10. All 2 and 3 ply gridder trusses must be nailed together according to truss specifications.

11. Weather-resistive sheathing paper. A minimum of one layer of No. 15 asphalt felt complying with ASTM D 226, as listed in chapter 43, for type 1 felt or other approved weather resistive material shall be applied over sheathing of all exterior walls.

12. Truss to wall connection. Trusses shall be connected to wall plates by the use of approved connectors having a resistance to uplift of not less than 175 pounds and shall be installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications.

Ice protection required 24" past inside the exterior wall line of building. 1 layer of self-adhering polymer modified bitumem sheet or 2 layers of underlayment cemented together.

Re-roofing: A maximum of 2 layers of roof covering allowed.

Attached Garages: Shall be separated from the residence and its attic area by not less than 1/2" gypsum board applied to garage side.

Smoke Detectors: Shall be installed inside all bedrooms and outside in the immediate vicinity of bedrooms and each story including basements.

All smoke detectors must be interconnected and have battery back up.

Tempered, or safety glazing in all hazardous area. This includes within 24" of a door, windows over 9 sq. ft. and closer than 18" to floor, tub & shower areas less than 60" above tub floor. Adjacent to stairways and landings within 60".

Basements and every sleeping room shall have at least one openable emergency escape and rescue window or exterior door opening for emergency escape and rescue. Where openings are provided as a means of escape and rescue they shall have a sill height of not more than 44 inches above the floor.

All emergency escape and rescue openings shall have a minimum net clear opening of 5.7 square feet and 5.0 square feet if at grade floor.

Minimum net clear opening for height shall be 24" and the width shall be 20".

Headroom of 80" minimum measured vertically from the sloped plane adjoining the tread nosing.

Landings for stairways. There shall be a floor or landing at the top and bottom of each stairway.

Stairway illumination. All interior and exterior stairways shall be provided with a means to illuminate the stairs, including the landings and treads.

All stairways shall not be less than 36 inches in clear width at all points above the permitted handrail height and below the required headroom height.

Stairways openings require guardrails during construction.

Maximum riser height shall be 8 ¼" measured vertically between leading edges of the adjacent treads.

Minimum tread depth shall be 9 " measured horizontally between the veritical planes of the foremost projection of adjacent treads and at a right angle to the tread's leading edge.

Open risers are permitted, provided that the opening between treads does not permit the passage of a 4" diameter sphere

A nosing not less than ¾" but not more than 1 ¼" shall be provided on stairways with solid risers.

(Under stair protection - enclosed accessible space under stairs shall be protected with ½" drywall).

The landing at an exterior doorway shall not be more than 7 3/4" below the top of the threshold. (NOTE THIS IS A CODE CHANGE)

Porches, balconies or raised floor surfaces located more than 30" above the floor or grade below shall have guards not less than 36" in height. Open sides of stairs with a total rise of more than 30" above the floor or grade below shall have guards not less than 34" in height measured vertically from the nosing of the treads.

Required guards shall have intermediate rails or ornamental closures that do not allow passage of a sphere 4" in diameter.

Exception: the triangular openings formed by the riser, tread and bottom rail of a guard at the open side of a stairway are permitted to be of such a size that a sphere 6" cannot pass through.

1. Stairways shall be equipped with a minimum of one handrail.

2. Handrail grip size shall have a circular cross section of 1 ¼" minimum to 2" maximum. Other handrail shapes that provide an equivalent grasping surfaces are permissible. Edges shall have a minimum radius of 1/8" per R311.5.6.3.

3. Continuity. Handrails for stairways shall be continuous for the full length of the flight, from a point directly above the top riser of the flight to a point directly above lowest riser of the flight. Handrail ends e returned or shall terminate in newel posts or safety terminals. Handrails adjacent to a wall shall have a space of not less than 1 ½ inch (38 mm) between the wall and the handrails.

4. Handrails shall have minimum and maximum heights of 34 inches and 38 inches, respectively, measured vertically from the nosing of the treads shall be provided on at least 1 side of stairways.

5. Handrails permitted to be interrupted by a newel post at a turn only.

All deck construction must conform to the Michigan Building Code 2006.

Items (required) to be submitted before a building permit is issued:

1. Building permit application with section numbers 1,2,4,7,8,10 & 12 completed.

2. Cross Section drawing showing:

A. Size & number of posts.

B. Size & length of floor joists.

C. Size of any under beams.

D. Type of decking 5/4 or 2 x 6.

E. Show location of stairway.

F. Height of deck above grade.

3. A site plan drawing referred to in number 10 must show distances to side and rear property lines.

Deck Construction

Deck post footing must be 42" below grade and inspected before backfilling.

Deck stairway stringers must have posts 42" below grade.

Exterior joist hangers require galvanized nails.

All joist must have a minimum of 1 ½ inches of bearing.

All post and joist connections must be secured together with approved bolts, ties or straps.

Deck rim connected to house needs to be counter flashed and lagged screwed or bolted to solid lumber rim joist 24 inches on center.

Deck Stairways

All stairways shall not be less than 36 inches in clear width at all points above the permitted handrail height and below the required headroom height.

Maximum riser height shall be 8 ¼" measured vertically between leading edges of the adjacent treads.

Minimum tread depth shall be 9" measured horizontally between the vertical planes of the foremost projection of adjacent treads and at a right angle to the tread's leading edge.

Open risers are permitted, provided that the opening between treads does not permit the passage of a 4" diameter sphere.

A nosing not less that ¾" but not more than 1 ¼" shall be provided on stairways with solid risers.

A nosing is not required where tread depth is a minimum of 11 inches.

Deck Handrails

Handrail grip size shall have a circular cross section of 1 ¼" minimum to 2" maximum. Other handrail shapes that provide an equivalent grasping surfaces are permissible per Section R311.5.6.3. Edges shall have a minimum radius of 1/8".

The clear space between handrail and wall or spindles below shall not less than 1 ½".

Handrails shall have minimum and maximum heights of 34" and 38", respectively, measured vertically from the nosing of the treads shall be provided on at least 1 side of stairways.

1. Exposed foundation above grade 16" maximum 8" minimum.

2. 3" address numbers on front of house readily visible.

3. No burning allowed on job site.

4. A minimum of a 12' x 22' garage is required for all residential dwelling.

1. Masonry chimneys require 2" of air space clearance to combustibles. Section R 1001.15.

2. Air space clearance must be fire stopped at floors and ceilings.

3. Mantel and trim shall not be placed within 6" of fireplace opening.

4. Factory built fireplaces shall be listed and labeled and must be installed to manufacturer specifications.

5. Furnace B-vents must be installed to manufacturers specifications refer to  label on pipe section for clearances.

6. Gas fired appliances dryers shall not be located in sleeping rooms, bathrooms, and toilet rooms. Section 2406.2.

Schedule of District Regulations

b) Notes to schedule of district regulations

(1) Measured from the edge of the street right-of-way to the principal building, excluding steps and unenclosed porches.

(2) To permit subdivision into two lots when water and sewer services are available, provided side yard and other requirements can be met.

(3) The distances in the schedule of district regulations govern the location of buildings other than trailer coaches and mobile homes. For trailer coaches and mobile homes, the following shall be met:

a. No mobile home or trailer coach shall be placed closer than ten feet from the right-of-way of a public street or alley or closer than 15 feet from the inside edge of the sidewalk adjacent to a private street.

b. A side yard of ten feet shall be maintained, except that a completely enclosed structure, which is attached to a trailer coach or mobile home and not used for living purposes may be, located not less than five feet from the side lot line. In addition, there shall be at least ten feet between each mobile home or trailer coach and its accessories including, but not limited to, full storage containers, storage shed, cabanas and porches, and the closest neighboring mobile home or trailer coach or any of its accessories.

c. There shall be a rear yard of at least 15 feet on each mobile home or trailer coach lot.

d. Each lot shall have a minimum depth of 100 feet and minimum width of 50 feet, measured at the foremost portion of the trailer coach or mobile home. The width shall be the length of the shortest line, which can be drawn between the two side lot lines and across the foremost portion of the trailer coach or mobile home. Provided, however, that the 50-foot width shall not apply to lots which have their only access onto a cul-de-sac, are within 100 feet of the closed end of the cul-de-sac and are not corner lots.

(4) No side yard is required if access is available from the rear through an alley or other means for fire and service vehicles; otherwise, a side yard is required and any side yard shall provide a minimum area of 15 feet.

(5) A rear yard of at least 24 feet is required where property abuts any residential or agricultural district; provided, that when an alley separates the commercial district from the residential or agricultural district the full alley width shall be counted as part of the required rear yard.

(6) The side yard shall be equal to the height of the building or 20 feet, whichever is greater.

(7) The total side yards required pursuant to subsection (b)(6).

(8) Twenty feet or the building height, whichever is greater, except that a rear yard of 50 feet is required when abutting residentially zoned land.

(9) Twenty feet or the building height, whichever is greater, except that a rear yard of 100 feet is required when abutting land zoned other than "MH" heavy industry.

(10) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, unattached garages and other accessory buildings in residential districts may be located in the rear yard, provided that no part of such garage or accessory building is closer than five feet from the rear and side lot liens, and further provided that if located less than ten feet from the swelling house, such garage or accessory building shall be made fire resistant in such manner as is required for attached garage.

(11) If more than one-half of the dwellings on 500 feet of either side of a proposed residential building have uniform front yard setbacks either greater or lesser than required in that district by this chapter, and the lots upon which those dwellings are located encompass more than 40 percent of the property located within 500 feet of either side of the lot on which the residential building is proposed, the setback line of the proposed residential building shall be the same as such uniform setback line. Provided, that no such setback line shall unreasonably restrict the use of such property; and provided further that no new residential building shall have a front yard less than 75 percent of the front yard required in that district, and none shall be required to have a front yard greater than 125 percent of the front yard required in that district.

(12) When more than one-half of the buildings on 500 feet of either side of a proposed commercial building have uniform front yard setbacks either greater or lesser than required in that district by this chapter, and the lots upon which those buildings are located encompass more than 40 percent of the land on 500 feet of either side of the lot on which the building is proposed, the setback line of the proposed commercial building shall be the same as such uniform setback line. Provided, that no such setback line shall unreasonably restrict the use of such property; and provided that no new commercial building shall have a front yard less than 75 percent of the front yard required in that district.

(13) Whenever a single-family residential dwelling is constructed within the "a-2" duplex district, two family residential, the minimum lot size may be 11, 880 square feet and the minimum lot width may be 90 feet.

(14) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, any building or structure constructed upon any property adjacent to en interstate or other limited access highway shall maintain a rear or side yard setback from such highway right-of-way equal to the height of the building or 20 feet, whichever is greater.

(15) Minimum lot size width in feet (as shown in the schedule of district regulations) shall be measured at the street right-of-way line, except that in the A, A-2, S and SA Districts it may be measured at the minimum front yard setback line if the lot width measured at the street right-of-way line is at least 60 feet and in he A, A-2 and SA Districts and is at least 85 feet in the S District and:

a. Any part of the front line abuts a curved street right-of-way line at the terminus of a cul-de-sac (only the lots marked "a" on Figure 1 meet this criteria); or

b. Any part of the front lot line abuts the exterior of a curved street right-of-way line and interior angle of the abutting curved street is not more than 105 degrees. The interior angle of a curved street is the angle formed by extending the centerline of the street in a straight line from the points where the abutting curve begins as shown on Figure 1. (Only the lots marked "b" on Figure 1 meets this criteria.)

(16) An open front porch or an attached deck, as provided for in section 94-352a, is permitted on the front of a residential dwelling, provided that an open front porch or attached deck is set back at least 25 feet from the nearest edge of the street right-of-way.

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The City of Walker, Michigan
4243 Remembrance Rd. NW
Walker, MI  49534
(616)453-6311
City Hall hours: Mon-Thursday from 7:30am to 5:30pm. Closed Fridays
All information © 2010 City of Walker

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