Neighborhood Planning & Zoning

Most questions the City receives from residents involve items specific to making improvements on their homes. If you don't find your answer here, please contact us directly at 989-652-9901.

If you're starting on a home improvement project, there are several resources that you may find helpful. The City is a member of the Saginaw Area Geographic Information Systems (SAGA GIS). Though the property lines are not survey quality, they provide a visual representation of your property and will give you a good basis from which to begin your plans. You can search for your parcel here.

Depending on your location, your home and lot may be governed by covenants and deed restrictions.  If you are buying a new home, be sure to obtain a copy of any covenants and restrictions. Most builders and/or their sales offices provided copies of covenants, restrictions and all other riders (maintenance agreements, etc.) with the purchase agreement. Realtors will provide covenants and restrictions if requested. Title companies disclose the existence of covenants by listing the recorded documents (Liber and page) on the title commitment. The title company will often only provide a complete copy of the covenants and restrictions ahead of time if it was a condition of the purchase agreement. Typically, covenants are requested in about one out of every five closings. Any one can request a copy of deed restrictions and covenants through the Saginaw County Clerk's office.

Covenants and deed restrictions, including subdivision restrictions, are private, contractual agreements and violations of the covenants and restrictions are civil actions between the homeowners' association or an individual property owner making a complaint and the property owner who is allegedly in violation of the by-laws or covenants and restrictions.  The City does not enforce the subdivision restrictions. Often times the private rules are more restrictive than City ordinances.

Recent Zoning Ordinance Amendments
2020-04
2020-06
2019-03