Community Development

Offices Closed to Public Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the City of Marquette Municipal Service Center is closed to the general public. However, we are still accepting zoning and engineering permits. Permits are fillable PDF's and can be emailed to staff via acook@marquettemi.gov once completed. If you have site plans to drop off with the permit, a drop box will be located at the front of the Municipal Service Center. Should you have any questions regarding an application or the permit process, please call 906-225-8998 for assistance. Thank you for your patience.

Divisions

Located at 1100 Wright Street at the Municipal Service Center

Engineering

The Marquette City Department of Engineering provides design and construction engineering for various water, sewer, drainage, street and other public infrastructure projects throughout the city. The department maintains records and maps of the City and is in the process of mapping all of the City’s infrastructure using Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Planning

The City Planner provides technical assistance and planning information to ensure public and private development will preserve the community’s character. The Planning office is responsible for the development of the Community Master Plan and ensuring that proposed developments and improvements are consistent with land use actions outlined in the Community Master Plan. For more information about Marquette City Planning, please call 228-0425.

Zoning

The Zoning office reviews zoning applications and plans for residential and commercial property to ensure zoning compliance and enforcement of all zoning ordinances. The office provides assistance to the Planning Commission by analyzing and making recommendations on requests for the rezoning of property, planned unit developments, subdivision plats, and conditional uses. Personnel from this office may also make recommendations to the Board of Zoning Appeals regarding variance requests. For more information about Marquette City Zoning, please call 228-0425.

Strategic Planning

The implementation of the revised City Charter in January of 2013 provided strong endorsement of public expectations for the governance framework for Marquette. Included within the revision were a number of new requirements, including implementation of a strategic planning process. The strategic planning process was adopted by the City Commission on Aug. 12, 2013. The City Charter requires the strategic plan itself be submitted to the City Commission within one year of the adopted process so that it can be used in preparation of the annual budget for the City.

Code Enforcement

The City Code of Ordinances is supported by a Code Enforcement Program, which in turn protects property values and provides high-quality places to reside, conduct business, and recreate. Code Enforcement is a function of the Planning and Zoning division, but Code Enforcement is responsible for enforcement of many of the City Codes, including some covered under separate ordinances but intertwined with Zoning (e.g. signs).

Guide to Development

Let us Guide You…
This guide was prepared to help everyone - from residents wondering if they need a permit to replace a fence, to design professionals acting as development consultants – to briefly acquire a basic understanding of the procedures and requirements that are in place for development approval in the City of Marquette. Although this guide provides detailed information about numerous issues, it is a summary of hundreds of pages of codes, so for complete information, the source codes should be consulted, and/or the professional staff in the Community Development Department should be contacted for assistance.